Mass Effect 4: The Search for Shepard (Liara romance)
by Galaxy fiction
Summary: It has been six months since the Reapers were destroyed, and Liara continues her Search for her beloved Shepard. After several months on Omega searching for leads, she becomes twisted in the diabolical games of the intelligent Andrew Church who succeeds in destroying her Shadow Broker title and assets. Hunted by the Alliance, committing treason all to save the man she loves.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

"Liara T'soni, the Asari who tamed the Shepard. The beauty of this woman caught most eyes, but Shepard's were the only eyes she wanted.

After being saved by him on Therum, where she was trapped in a Prothean bubble of energy, their love blossomed. He would visit her after every mission to check on her and just talk with her. It made her feel safe and trusted. Because of her massive interest in the Protheans, he was so interesting to her. The Prothean Beacon that touched him brought them together.

But she was young for an Asari. She had spent the majority of her life alone, by choice, learning and studying the Protheans in dig sites and deep in books. The one hundred and six year old Asari was considered a teen, since Asari life spans can stretch to a thousand years. He kept trying to get her to understand his interest in her, but her lack of knowledge on love meant she missed the hints. After a while together aboard the Normandy SR1, they began to understand these attractions to one another. To Shepard it became more than her looks. To her, he became more than just an example of Prothean knowledge. They fell for one another.

Once they defeated Saren, they stayed together and went on many missions together, but then the Collectors attacked, and destroyed the Normandy...and Shepard. Liara found his body, and gave it to Cerberus to rebuild. During his fight against the collectors, he saw her on Ilium. The way they looked at one another...the flame was still there. She was cautious, nervous. She had mourned him for two years, and now he had returned. When he helped her defeat her arch enemy the Shadow Broker, and replace him as the Broker, they kissed passionately."

The little boy, no older than five or six, listening to the story groaned and spluttered.

"Ew! Oh Grandpa come on!"

He chuckled, stroking his white facial hair, admiring the stars.

"Right, okay. So they were back together...and happy. But he still had to defeat the collectors. They said farewell after much...catching up, and he left her again to fight.

When he defeated them, he knew the Reapers were coming. But then came the war, the end of the cycle. Liara joined them on the SR2 and helped him, in combat and moral. Honestly, I don't think he could have done it without her there. He comforted her when she was crazed by the fear of seeing the galaxy come to an end, and when Thessia fell. Before the final battle, they had one final love together, and went to war.  
Shepard defeated the Reapers, destroying them, the Citadel and the relays."

The little boy bounced and cut in to his Grandfather's commentary.

"Yeah I know, but come on Grandpa, tell me one more story about the Shepard, what happened next!?"

The Grandpa chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair.

"It's getting late, but okay. One more story...this is the story of Liara T'soni...the story of her Search for Shepard..."

...

It has been six months since the Reapers were eradicated. The Alliance focused on rebuilding, becoming a top priority. The Relays were destroyed, but repairs were initiated immediately. It was fortunate that they weren't as damaged as first believed. The main structures were severed but the main power units were still intact, allowing them to be reactivated. Only four have been repaired to that degree however; the sol relay and several others.

Memorials were set up to remember the hero that made it all possible: Commander Shepard. He was believed to have died in the Citadel when the crucible fired.

The Normandy escaped, but not without loss, losing EDI to the synthetic extinction. The Normandy survived the crash along with its crew, and left the alien planet, heading back to earth. After reaching one of the working relays, after a month of space flight, they leaped back to known space.  
Liara however, never got over the loss of Shepard. She refused to put his name on the memorial wall and vowed there and then to search till she died to find him. She kept that promise.

Five months later, and everyone had disbanded. Garrus and Tali kept a long distance relationship going from Palaven to Rannoch, Joker handed the Normandy over to the Alliance reluctantly and retired, going on to write a bestselling novel about his adventures. James returned to Earth and opened a gym, helping youngster build their strength. Cortez stayed with the Alliance and helped in ship repairs. Kaidan stayed as a Spectre and returned to the newly repaired Citadel to oversee the choosing of the new Council. They all said goodbye and left, remembering their adventures...and Shepard. But where is Liara now? She is still on the hunt to find Shepard, using her Shadow Broker information to find leads and get the truth. She needs closure...she needs her happy ending.

...

Omega. A colossal space station filled with scum and villainous aliens. The massive mushroom shaped station loomed over the darkened quilt of space. Red lights freckled the station and illuminated it. The streets were cramped, overlooked by dark peering buildings. Music thumped through the ground from the nearby clubs. Roaring and cursing cried out as aliens fought one another, intoxicated from the late night celebrations. The slums of Omega filled the air with the stench of smoke and filth. Hundreds of aliens walked through the bustling streets.

Suddenly a Salarian barged through the people, panting and huffing.

"Excuse me! Move! Get out ah" He cried out trying to get passed the selection of different species.

He was clutching a case close to his chest as he ran through the crowds. He finally barged through the stormy ocean of aliens. He quickly looked around, scanning for the client. His frog like eyes scanned the area, still catching his breath.

Just then, a cough cried out. He turned sharply to see a human stood by a crate. He was shady.

"Come here" the figure beckoned.

The Salarian held the case tight and walked over, watching over his shoulders every few seconds. He kept scanning the crowds, looking cautious. He walked up the steps slowly towards the man. He had a shaved head and slight scars to one side of his face.

"Okay, you got the kit?" he said quietly. The Salarian realized he was the client, nodding.

"Oh yes, I got it..." he opened the case with his hand print. The case beeped and the locks clicked. He pried it open.

"Here, a perfect replica of Shepard's Armour. You'll look identical to him." The man nodded in approval.

"Good work." The Salarian was curious.

"I must ask. Why do you want to look like Shepard so bad?" he looked at him.

"Imagine the fame. The riches if Shepard returned. Not many people knew him, so why can't it be me?" he sinisterly smiled. The Salarian chuckled.

"Oh yes, very good. So, where are my credits? This wasn't cheap" the Salarian rubbed his finger and thumb together as if mimicking money.

"You'll get em. Just let me get in this stuff." the man snarled.

The Salarian kept watch as the man walked around the back of the crate. He was breathing heavily.

"Okay, it's okay, you didn't do anything wrong, no harm in making replicas. Ha!" he mumbled to himself.

He squinted as he looked into the moving crowd. A white hooded figure disappeared behind some Turians. He started to breathe heavier.

"Oh no. No,no,no" he shook his head.

The man re-emerged, looking identical to Commander Shepard.

"How'd I look?" he said, holding his arms out.

The Salarian nodded, cautious of what he had just seen. The man smiled.

"You did good" The Salarian reached his hand out.

"Good. Glad. Now can I have my credits?" The man ignored him, admiring himself.

"I gotta say the last few ones weren't as comfortable, and weren't perfect, but damn, you outdid yourself this time." The Salarian paced, looking back at the crowd.

Inside the crowd, the white hooded figure twirled a Phalanx through their fingers, stopping at the trigger and cocking the gun back, as the spent thermal clip hissed and bounced out, hopping along the floor with a metallic click. The figure stepped back out of the shadows and into the crowd.

The Salarian looked as the crowds parted like the red sea. The figure walked down the middle. Female hips became apparent and the white Armour and hood was definitely designed for a female. The Salarians eyes widened

"You know what, on the house, you don't have to pay me" he said with a nervous chuckle, scared and wanting to leave.

"No, hang on. I owe you it at least" the man said, counting out credits, slowly. The Salarian kept looking back at the parting waves of people as this mysterious figure grew nearer. His eyes widened in horror.

"No, forget it, goodbye" he said, walking away and slowly gaining speed as he looked back to see the figure turn towards him.

He started jogging; he peered back, panting in horror. The figure began barging and slamming through the crowd members, sprinting at him. He screamed in terror and began running as fast as he could.

The shadowy hooded face was fixed on him. The female was gaining on him. He was crying out for help, dropping his empty suitcase. Her foot cracked through the case moments later. People watched in awe and horror as she leaped up into the air, pressing one foot against the wall and diving onto him. He slammed into the concrete and skidded along the floor.

He groaned in pain, twisting and turning on the floor. She got up off of him and stared down at him. He shielded his face.

"Please" he begged, hands over his face. She grabbed his collar and hauled him to her face.

"Where did you get the blueprints for Shepard's Armour?" the figure roared.

The Salarian was confused.

"It's just N7 Armour!"She shook her hooded head.

"No, Shepard's Armour had a slight defection from a run in with a Reaper Brute on Menea, this has that dent, now where did you get it, and do you know where he is?" She interrogated.

The Salarian was very confused now.

"How could you possibly know that?" He scoffed at her.

She lifted her arm upwards sharply and grasped the bill of her hood, pulling it down from her head, revealing the blue face of Liara T'soni.

"Because I helped him!" she snarled, her sharp blue eyes staring into his soul.

"Now, where did you get these exact blueprints?" she asked, holding the Phalanx to his throat. He gulped.

"Okay, Okay. I got them from a guy up street. He worked here when Shepard helped Aria. He must've gotten some details then, okay?"

Her heart dropped to the bottom of her chest and her shoulders sagged. She could feel a kick in her gut from realising this Salarian knew nothing on the real Shepard. Another lead with no information, so far.

Liara looked back at the cowering man in Shepard amour.

"And why give it to a weakling like him? What does he gain being Shepard?" the Salarian coughed as the barrel pressed deeper against his windpipe.

"Fame, fortune, Shepard's legacy; there's a lot of credits to be made from Shepard mimics." She shook her head.

"Where do I find this guy?" she asked. The Salarian scoffed.

"Yeah, like I'd tell you that" He chuckled to himself as she tightened her clenching tight throat grip.

"Alright, listen up amphibian. I am in no mood for games. I have been following dead end leads for months, and this is the one with at least something to gain, so tell me. Or I blow your little head off your shoulders. Understand now?"

The Salarian gulped over the pressing barrel. He sighed and looked over his shoulder. He raised his hand and pointed down the street to a Club.

"Top floor, ask to see Rokzac. He's a Turian" She smiled and nodded.

"Thanks now get out of here" She snarled. Suddenly a voice emerged from over her shoulder.

"Hey, what are you doing?" An Officer had arrived after reports of an incident. She sighed and gritted her teeth. The Salarian crawled away and ran for freedom.

_Oh Goddess, rookie move there Liara_

She stayed, kneeling and head held low.

"Stand up, hands where I can see them" he said, predator aimed at her. She reached up for her hood and pulled it over her head, shadowing her face.

"Hey, hands where I can see them." She stood up slowly. A crowd had gathered behind the officer to watch.

"Now, hands...where" before he could finish, she interrupted him "I know, I know. Hands where I can see them" she raised both hands and flicked her wrists. Biotic energy shot at the officer and he flew through the crowd with force. She took her chance and ran for the club. The officer clambered to his staggering feet.

"Hey! Stop her!" he shouted firing at her as she got away, narrowly missing civilians. She ran into the building. He caught his breath and raised his fingers to his ear.

"Suspect has entered the Club . Get a team to surround it. We got this bitch now" he grinned.

...

Music deafened her as she entered the raging club. The thumping of base slammed against her ear drums. She snarled and walked into the club, looking around for any sign of a Turian named Rokzac.

She peered around, orange and blue strobe lights blinding her. She grabbed the sides of her hood and concealed her face. She decided to let him become apparent by his own doing. She walked over to the bar and lent against it.

She scanned the club, squinting through the strobes to try and see a suspicious Turian. Suddenly a startling voice erupted.

"What can I get ya?" the barman shouted over the music. She shook it off and looked at him.

"I'll have a Thessian Templar" A surprising choice for someone like Liara, but age and time had sculpted her. He nodded and began preparing it.

The Barman knew something was up with her. She kept looking around the room.

"You okay?" he asked, mixing her drink. She nodded.

"Just waiting for a friend" she growled from under the hood. He nodded and focused on her drink. She pressed her armored wrists against the bar and waited for her drink. The barman poured the mixture into a glass.

He swirled the concoction around with a plastic rod and slid the swirling drink along the bar to her.

"Go careful tonight, yeah?" he said, hand with a cloth as he wiped another glass clean. She nodded, downing the drink in one big gulp. Her face soured and she groaned. Liara slammed the glass down with a bang. She wiped the excess from her lips with her wrist. She slowly spun around and lent against the bar, looking at the raving club.

As she scanned the room, an inebriated club goer staggered over to her.

"Oh, pretty Asari, why do you conceal your face?" She tried to swat him away, but he kept trying.

"Come on blue. Give me some love!" He reached and grabbed her hips. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry for this, but you'll thank me in the morning" He smiled.

"What will I be thanking you for?" He staggered, smiling like the inebriated idiot he was. She looked up at him.

"For knocking the hangover out of your head!" Liara grabbed his head and cracked it against the bar. A loud bang echoed, and he fell to the floor with a moan.

"Touch me like that again and I'll flay you alive" She whispered at him. She gazed up at the barman. He was chuckling to himself.

"You can handle yourself, well played" he smiled, cleaning the glass.

"Hey!" A Krogan guard shouted at her, an Asari mercenary by his side. She looked over her hooded shoulder. He raised his Vindicator rifle.

"You can't do shit like that in here. Get out" she shook her head.

"So I take it you all work for Rokzac?" she said from under her hood, finishing the other guy's drink. She shook it off and spun around to face them.

"So...where is he? He has something of value to me." The Krogan looked up at the top floor balcony. She looked up to see a Turian run inside. She grinned menacingly.

"Thanks big head" Before she could get by he stopped her, throwing her against the bar.

"No way little girl!" she groaned in pain and staggered to her feet. The Asari cracked her knuckles and smirked at Liara. She quickly grabbed a bar stool and flung it at the Asari, breaking against her Omni Armored body. The stool splintered apart and exploded. She shook it off and swung at Liara with a roar. The hooded hero ducked and blocked every hit.

_Okay Liara, remember what you've learned over the last few months, duck, swing, hit!_

Over the past few months, Feron, one of her best friends had trained her to fight like a Drell. She remembered every move and used it against them. The Krogan tried to get a clear shot but couldn't. Liara twirled through the air and swung down with a Biotic punch, blowing the dazed Asari back.

She roared and punched her again, sending the guard flying along the dance floor. Dancers staggered and parted as the guard slid between them.

Liara grinned from under her hood. Suddenly two huge Krogan hands grabbed her by the arms. He lifted her off the ground.

"Now face the might of a Krogan!" He roared. She had no choice. She growled and head butt him with force. A loud crack echoed and he stumbled backwards, falling down the steps to the dance floor. Orange strobe lights flickered as he fell into his unconsciousness. She smirked, and then held her head.

"Ow, that felt good actually! Goddess, Guess dad was right. A quarter Krogan and you do want to headbutt people." She joked to herself.

Liara looked up at the balcony. A Turian stared at her with piercing white eyes from under a tough stubborn skull brow.

"Rokzac." She snarled. Liara ran across the dance floor and through the crowds to the stairs. She kept focusing on the balcony. She looked at the steps for a second. Suddenly a shotgun was in her face. She slid to a stop, her head recoiling from the barrel.

Several Krogan guards surrounded her. She tensed her fists, but didn't fight back. Dancers screamed and abandoned the club as they witnessed the firearms. The music died and silence resumed. Her ears were still ringing, but were quiet enough to hear the sarcastic claps of Rokzac as he entered the balcony.

The Turian looked down at her chuckling.

"I take it that little Salarian of mine told you. I also take it that you are looking for Shepard. Well, you're not the only one." Liara flared her teeth. The four Krogan guards aimed their shotguns at her at the bottom of the stairs.

"You'll give me that information" She ordered, with a threatening tone. Rokzac laughed.

"Why can't you get it yourself? After all, you are the Shadow Broker" Her eyes widened in shock. "Kill her. The shadow Broker's death will definitely make the other clans take me seriously." he said, walking away. The Krogan chuckled, aiming at her.

_Goddess, a trap. I should know better._

She tightened her eyes. Suddenly a bang echoed and he dropped to the floor before her, a bullet hole cracked through the Krogan crest. The other Krogan guards were confused. She looked over her shoulders, looking for the shooter. Up in the darkest corner of the catwalks was Feron, sniper rifle in his grip. He nodded, and slipped into the shadows.

She grinned. Liara roared and punched the ground with all her biotic might. A shock wave of blue biotic energy exploded outwards in a loud eruption. The Krogan guards flew across the floor. Smouldering cracked concrete crumbled beneath her feet as she stood up tall. She looked up at the Balcony.

"I'm coming for you!" she roared, running up the stairs.

Rokzac snarled, running over to a computer on his desk. He ejected the drive and clutched it tight, listening to Liara running up the stairs. Two Asari guards stood in front of him. He picked up his Carnifex and held it in his other hand.

She reached the top of the stairs. Feron watched from the catwalk. He trained the scope on Rokzac's skull.

"Give me the information, I can find him, and we'll both get answers." she said, reaching out. He scoffed.

"You don't get it do you Broker? Nothing worth saving comes without sacrifice" She dropped her Phalanx and raised her hands.

"I am willing to die for him. Please...he means everything to me" Liara pleading for the drive with important data, not only on Shepard's armor but maybe information on where he went on Omega when helping Aria.

Rokzac began to actually listen. He flicked his wrist, getting his Asari guards to stand down. Feron dropped his scope from his head. He too was confused.

"Who are you to him?" Rokzac asked, hiding behind his guards. She sighed and tried to say it, oxygen recycling through her lungs.

"He and I...we...we are joined" Rokzac lowered his gun.

"You mean, physically...mentally?" she nodded

"Both, during the Reaper war. He made sure I survived Harbinger, while he ran to the beam. So forgive me if I've taken a personal interest in this. Please...please give me the data" She begged, reaching out. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry Broker...I can't do that." his voice trembled. He stood near the window. "If I give you this...then he'll kill me" he trembled. Liara stood up, confused.

"Who?" Rokzac knew it was imminent. He knew there was no way out. If he was going to die, at least do the right thing. He took several deep breaths, each one louder and deeper than the last. His chest expanded and shrunk each time.

"Find him Broker. Find him! It was a man called -" before he could finish a bullet exploded through the window and through the back of his head. Liara fell back to the floor. The Turian body slumped to his knees and slammed against the floor. His Asari guards screamed and ran, bustling passed Liara and down the stairs.  
She slowly and carefully stood, peering out the window. She looked down to see a mysterious figure jump in a sky car and disappear into the city horizon of Omega.

Feron arrived beside her. The brown, green, purple skinned Drell sighed and shook his head. She looked down at the body and began searching it for the drive.

"Anything?" Feron asked, scanning the horizon with his sniper rifle. She finally found it.

"It's encrypted, but I've got it" Feron nodded, stepping away from the shattered window.

"What made him have a change of heart so quickly?" Feron asked, lowering his sniper rifle. She shook her head.

"No idea, I mean one minute he wants me dead, the next he helps me."  
Suddenly a voice groaned.

"Don't you idiots see? He was always trying to save you. Now you're the target. He wanted to keep you out of his clutches." A wounded Krogan sat on the floor, looking at them. Blood seeped from his bullet wound. Liara lent down to him "what do you mean?" The Krogan grinned.

"Now you're in his game, and you can't win without losing" He said before dying. His eyes faded black and his mouth fell open. Feron sighed.

"Why'd you make me shoot you?" he said, closing the Krogan's eyes with his palm.

"Liara, you okay?" Liara was puzzled.

"Whose game?"


	2. Chapter 2: Omega's finest

Liara sighed as she clutched the encrypted drive. Feron bent down beside her.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I'm scared Feron. Scared of what I'll find in here"

He scoffed and smirked.

"That's not the Liara I know. Whatever is on there, you'll use to find him"

She smiled from under her hood.

"Come on, we can sort it out back on Ilium, let's get out of here before more show up. Pretty sure we made a mess they didn't want to clean up" He said to her. She nodded, grabbing the data and her Phalanx. They began to walk down the steps.

"I forgot to thank you Feron...for showing up." She smiled with her young face. He smiled.

"I was always there" He simply said. She stopped on the stairs.

"No, I mean thanks...for everything. You're one of my best friends" she complimented him. Feron grinned.

"You too T'soni, now let's go before-" They looked down the stairs to see a giant squad of officers. They were aiming at them. The leading Officer raised his finger to his ear.

"Yeah. They did exactly as you said they would." the mysterious voice responded "Excellent. Dispose of them. Show your worth"

"Yes sir" he snarled, stopping the conversation.

Meanwhile the Mysterious owner of the voice sat watching his computer in the darkness of his office. He swirled his finger tip around the translucent brim of his whiskey glass.

"I was talking to them" He pressed a single button and the communication fell dead. He leaned back in his chair, pressing his palms together in a menacing pose. A smirk etched its way along his shadowed face.

The Officer aimed at them "It's over you two. Come quietly, and we _may_ let you live" He smirked.

Feron whispered in her ear as he got an idea.

"Remember when I trained you?"

She nodded

"Yeah?" He looked up at the strobe light.

"I'm going to set off the strobe light and kill the main lights. Use the flickering light to mask your movements, and then we'll take them down... the Drell way."

She nodded to him.

"Do it" Feron slowly pulled out his pistol. Every Officer clenched and tensed there trigger finger at them.

"It's alright, I'm simply disarming myself" he reassured them. He aimed it upwards and whispered at them.

"Catch us if you can" he smirked, firing the gun. The main light exploded in a blinding supernova of sparks. The shattered lights swung down and crashed with a bang. The Officers aimed at the darkened stairs. Nobody was there. They had both disappeared. The strobe erupted to life. Orange flickering lights enveloped the club. They didn't know where they were. Some panicked.

"Where are you!" one screamed out. Feron appeared from the dark over his shoulder.

"Here" He grabbed the screaming man and broke his neck. A loud bang echoed and the body dropped. The corrupt cops continued to panic and try to figure out where they were. An orange flicker would illuminate the room for a millisecond. The Officers would catch a quick movement, then nothing. Only muzzle flash to light the way. Every few seconds a guard would fire into the dark and using the cover of the gunshot, either Liara or Feron would take them down.

The cops began to lose numbers. Feron appeared, laying several punches into one guard's chest repeatedly before slamming an upper cut into his jaw. Liara kneed one of the guards in the chest and swung around slamming her elbow against the back of his head as he held his gut.

"Pull em out, fall back!" but no response would reach the Officer. He looked around as the strobe illuminated the club. His Officer's bodies littered the floor. He staggered back towards the door, breathing heavily.

"So Liara, should I take him, or do you want to?" Feron shouted from the dark.

"Maybe we should let him escape? You know he's a cop" He said again.

"No, He's a corrupt Cop, and that's the worst. Worse than criminals. A man pledged to law, gone against his word. He's all yours Feron" Proof of Liara's growing dark side she had developed over the years since meeting Shepard.

The man heard footsteps running towards him from the dark. The strobe light flickered as Feron ran towards him. The Officer screamed in terror, firing his gun blindly into the flashing dark.

A loud snap echoed and seconds later the Officer's body dropped to the silent floor. The door opened and they both left. Feron dusted his hands.

"All part of the job"

Feron stood over the bodies. He shook his head. She walked over to him, stepping over tangled corpses.

"Feron, you okay?" she asked, placing her palm on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and placed his palms together close to his chest.

"Kalahira, goddess of Oceans and Afterlife. Please watch over these lost souls, until they find peace." She nodded, holding her head low.

"Yeah. They stood between us though. We had no choice" he scoffed.

"I don't regret the decision. I regret the fact they had to die for someone else. Come on, let's get out of here and back to Ilium." Feron explained as he stood up. Liara walked over beside him.

She nodded towards the exit. Just as they began to leave, a spluttering guard lay in the strobe lit corner. He sighed heavily to get oxygen into his rapidly blood filling lungs. She walked over to him. Liara lent down.

"Who...who are you working for?" she asked. The guard grinned as he looked at her.

"The Reapers were the answer to chaos. He is the question" the guard fell still and drew a last breath, before falling lifeless. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Feron asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know. But it can't be good" She reached in his pouches and removed several thermal clips. She got up, throwing one to Feron.

Later they exited through the underground level that connected to Afterlife, the club on the Omega strip. They entered the other club, and began walking to the exit. Purple lights and pulsating music deafened and blinded them once again. A single guard walked up to them. He charged his Biotics and activated his Omni tool.

"Hey, you just came from the other club, didn't you? You killed those cops; we heard it over the comm!" Liara scoffed as she walked by. Feron barged by, smirking.

"Hey, don't make me kill you" he trembled. Liara looked over her shoulder, arms crossed

"We kill all those guys, and your plan is to attack us? Good luck" she warned, walking out with Feron.

...

The mysterious figure sat in his armchair looking over the illuminating screen in the dark. He rubbed his chin with his palm.

"You want to defeat a threat, you use a threat. Fight fire with fire"

He leaned forward pressing a single panel on the screen. A data file on an agent expanded.

"Activate Cillian" He snarled as he looked over the file of his notorious, monstrously Bounty Hunters. He leaned back in his seat and watched the event unfold.

...

On Earth in the deepest, darkest, dirtiest slums a man walked among the refugees, huge in size. A poncho covered his face and body as he loomed through the streets. People bustled by and bumped into him.

He stopped walking, looking up at the top of a tall shack. His hooded eyes fixed onto an obvious target. A tall slim man talking to several armed guards. The guards were definitely not part of a funded militia, there armor made of molded aluminum sheets and leather straps.

He reached inside of his poncho and raised his arm. In his huge palm was a rugged, scratched and worn Incisor sniper rifle. His left arm, a rusty prosthetic wrist with several replaced panels and pistons of different aged titanium gasped the rifle hand guard. He aimed and fired, ignoring the screaming people running around him.

The target fell from the building, crashing through the thin metal sheet roof of a shack below. He dropped the rifle and began storming towards it, the cloak billowing in the wind. He tightened his rusty left fist and slammed it against a guard's chest, the metal of his weak armor bending around the fist and sending the guard flying through a shack.

Even some Quarians and Turians lived in these slums, left on earth to rot after defeating the Reapers in London. They screamed and ran for cover as the giant human walked towards the shack ruin. Guards leaped out form cover and fired at him. He took a round to his back and roared, arching his spine. He growled and threw the cloak from his torso. A huge human, with a tough muscular build and defined body was stood where the cloaked being was. He was now visible.

His skin was dirty and scarred. The rusty prosthetic arm with pistons and cogs, obviously built by his own hand whirred and hissed as pipes twisted around the pistons. His face was covered in dirt and a thick greasy beard. Ruffled hair dangled over his forehead a long deep scar stretched across his right cheek. He snarled his teeth and reach for his holster, pulling a modified Carnifex and firing a round, blowing apart the guards skull. The blood stained torso fell to the floor with a thud.

He turned back to the shack. His eyes widened, the crazed insanity filling his pupils. He saw the target staggering out, covered in his own blood. His wrists were trembling. The hulking human walked towards him. He looked up at the building and fired the Carnifex at a guard, watching him drop with a bone shattering bang.

He was stood before the small target. Taking his chances, he roared and slammed his tin fist against the huge barrel chest of the killing machine. A small thud patted as his fist bounced off of his skin. He looked up in horror.

"My turn" The monster smirked. He raised his handmade prosthetic in the air. Two pistons clipped from the wrist and rolled over to the top of the palm, they then extended a long metal blade, stained with dry blood. Suddenly a fizzing sounded in his ear. He lifted his right hand to his ear

"I'm busy" He snarled, taking it so lightly that he was about to steal a life.

"I have a proposition for you Cillian" The voice said.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"A job that you should not take lightly. It involves the Shadow Broker"

Cillian's eyes widened. He considered the proposition.

"What do I get for this?"

"Payment of course, and new cybernetics" Cillian looked at his arm. The rusty blotches reflecting in the sun. He considered it further. The whimpering of the target filled his eardrums.

He snarled his teeth and looked down at the cowering target.

"Dead or alive?" Cillian hissed.

"Whichever you prefer" the mysterious voice stated.

"I wasn't talking to you" Cillian snarled, swinging the blade and beheading the target. The sound of his head rolling along the concrete and dirt echoed and the body slumped to the floor. Cillian deactivated the blade and it folded back into the arm with a chugging clog of gears.

"When do I start?" He smirked.

...

Meanwhile on Omega, Liara and Feron exited Afterlife. The darkened sky over Omega was shrouded by fumes and the skeletal fingers of Buildings as they clutch to the horizon. Liara covered her face with the shadows of her hood. She peered around as people were cautious. Several officers were walking around and taping off the area around the other club. She looked forward, Feron beside her

"We need to leave, before they realize it's us" Feron agreed with a nod.

A Turian Officer stopped them, pressing his palm against her shoulder.

"Excuse me ma'am. We need an interview. What happened here, did you see anything?" She held the encrypted drive behind her back. Feron walked passed, taking it out of her hand and putting it safely away in his pocket. The Turian was curious.

"You're acting suspicious. Something I should know?" the Officer asked, raising his eyebrow. Feron whispered in her ear.

"He's stalling us; they already know it's us. They're all corrupt on Omega." Liara looked down at the Turian's hand. He clutched his predator pistol and popped the button off his holster. She looked up. Several Officers in the distance began to walk over.

"It's over Shadow Broker" He placed the Barrel against her forehead. Suddenly Feron stepped in, hitting the barrel downwards. The gun fired, shooting through the Turian's foot. He cried out in pain. Liara kicked him in the chest and he slid across the concrete. Two Officers raised their rifles and fired at them, not caring about the safety of the public. She dived behind a crate. Feron slid behind a landed sky car. Bullets ripped through the metal like teeth through soft flesh. Feron pulled his Mantis sniper rifle off of his back. The gun extended and beeped as it activated in his palms. Liara activated her Phalanx.

"Liara, we have to go, or we'll miss the ship to Ilium!" he shouted, firing a round into an Officers arm. The Officer fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The Other Officer stepped over his injured colleague, doing what he was paid to do. He fired at the duo. Liara fired over the crate hitting him in the leg. He groaned and continued to fire.

Feron had no choice. He aimed the scope over his head and fired. The bullet whizzed through the soft flesh and cracked skull. The body moaned and fell to the pool of blood below.

Liara's gun hissed and the last Thermo clip expelled to the floor with a metal clink. The shell bounced along the ground. She dropped the dead gun and walked over to Feron. He stood up, holding his rifle, the bright lights of Afterlife flickering behind them. Silence shouted all around them. The occasional scream and music blast dented the silence. The Officers lay on the ground, either dead or injured.

"Let's go. We have no time, the ship leaves in ten! We have to get to the docks!" They had to get to this ship. Only a few chartered ships had faster than light travel capable of traveling those distances without the use of a Mass Relay. If they missed it, they would have to wait a week for the next trip. They didn't have a week.

Suddenly a Gunship rattled the quiet and hovered behind them. Search lights beamed over them. Feron readied his sniper and Liara adjusted her gauntlets. She snarled over her shoulder.

"Run?" she said. He nodded "Run"

The pair stared at the huge humming Gunship.

"Nowhere to go Broker!" The pilot roared, firing the Gatling gun at them. Bullets ripped across the tarmac towards them.

"Run!" Feron screamed turning and sprinting from the gunship. Liara bolted, catching up to Feron. They panted and breathed steadily, as not to exhaust themselves.

"Turn here!" He shouted, rapidly turning through a tight street alley. The Gunship roared overhead, blocking the light from filling the dark alley.

Feron lent against the brick wall catching his breath. Liara placed her palms on her thighs and breathed steadily.

"Now what?" she asked, looking up at the rumbling hull of the massive metal bird.

"It's over Shadow Broker, there's nowhere to run!" the search light painting white beams along the brickwork. Feron looked at a ladder. The rusty skeletal steps lead up to the rooftops.

"It's a clear path to the landing pad." Feron stated. She widened her eyes

"Besides the Gunship!" she shouted. The ship hovered around the area, trying to get them.

"You fought Reapers, you're scared of that?" Feron joked. She knew he was right. Liara wasn't the push over she once was when she joined the Normandy years ago to stop Saren. She had grown over the years, and lost a lot of her fears. She was tough, resilient and desperate to save Shepard.

"Alright, let's go" She agreed.

Feron nodded, grabbing the steps and ascending the ladder. She looked down the narrow alley way. She watched as hired Officers and mercenaries ran passed, vowing to kill them. The mob vanished. Liara sighed, before rising up the ladder behind Feron.

They clambered up the creaking metal frame. Black paint chipped and cascaded to the floor below. Feron looked down, making sure she was alright. Suddenly an Officer discovered the Alley.

"There they are!" he roared, firing at the ladder. Feron snarled

"Liara look out!" He unsheathed his Carnifex pistol and fired at the Officer. The man took two rounds to his chest, staggering back and slumping to the cold concrete. Blood trickled along the slanted ground. Feron dropped the empty pistol and continued up the ladder. Liara watched as the gun bounced off of the wall and spun wildly to the floor below them.

She continued to climb the ladder, watching Feron reach the final step and clamber to the rooftop. The Drell staggered to his feet and immediately spun round, covering Liara with his Sniper rifle. She grabbed at the gravel covered roof. Feron aimed at the Alley below, as Officers arrived. Liara stood beside him.

The sound of Officers climbing the ladder grew louder. Liara pressed her foot against the rusty ladder. It creaked as she tensed her muscles and added pressure. "Too slow" she snarled, kicking violently. The ladder shattered and fell backwards. The officers fell from the metal frame and screamed as they descended to the floor below. The ladder crashed against the opposite wall, along with several Officers. The loud thumping of their bodies impacting the concrete and clanging metal echoed through the streets. She turned and smiled at Feron

"Nice work Liara" he congratulated.

Feron looked along the rooftops. At the end of them, was the landing pad. On top of it was the chartered ship to Ilium. It was rusty and worn; nothing like the Normandy, but it could get them home with its powerful faster than Light travel system.

"Come on, let's-" Before Liara could finish, the massive Gunship hovered upwards from behind one of the rooftops.

"Got ya now!" the pilot bellowed. Gunfire doused the rooftop.

"Run!" Feron roared. Liara joined him, sprinting across the gravel stained roof towards the powering up ship. The gunship flew alongside them, facing them all the time, spraying ammunition at the roof around them.

"Keep going, jump!" Feron shouted, leaping across the Alley way between two rooftops. Liara jumped with a shout, landing on the other side. She staggered to her feet as the Gunship rumbled overhead.

"We're almost there, come on!" Feron shouted. The Gunship fired a missile, hurtling towards them.

"Shit, move!" Feron roared, diving to one side. Liara stopped running, sliding along the gravel. The Missile impacted against the roof. The building flexed and rippled as a fireball erupted before them. Debris chunks and fire rained through the air in a concrete maelstrom. Liara flew back as the shock wave hit her. The Gunship hovered in front of them, reloading and rearming.

Liara rose to her feet. Feron stood up, shaking off the deafening bang.

He walked through the smoke and fire, aiming his sniper rifle at the Gunship. He fired several rounds into the air intakes. The venting system rattled and exploded, choking the ships intakes, sending the gunship into a smoky spiral. The engines whined and whirred.

"Goodnight you son of a Bitch" he cursed, walking away. Suddenly a loud smash rocked the structure and Feron spun around to see the Gunship collide with the roof.

"Ah run!" he shouted, sprinting away from the sliding ship. Liara staggered backwards as the ship's hull crawled ever nearer. It finally groaned to a halt. Silence echoed as the Gunship fell deathly still. Dust and smoke surrounded its hull. The dead pilot lay against the windshield.

"Come on, clamber across the hull to the other side, before it falls!" Liara shouted.

"What?" Feron asked in shock. She quickly shook off the crash and did what Shepard would. Improvise. She steadied her steps and walked across the hull like it was a tight rope. Every creak and groan made her stop. Feron climbed onto its hull, following her. She walked across the dented tail fin and finally leaped onto the other roof. She looked back to see Feron on the tail. Suddenly the hull tipped back, falling down into the alley. She ran towards him.

"Feron!" she screamed, He reached for her. She held her arm out and he jumped from the falling Gunship, grabbing her palm.

She groaned and shouted in pain as he bounced against the building wall. They both looked down as the hull scraped against the walls as the throat of the buildings swallowed it, and it smashed into the ground with a bang.

"Thanks!" he shouted. He kicked away from the wall and she roared as she hauled him up in agony. They both fell to the roof floor, exhausted.

"We can rest later, come on, the ships leaving soon!" Feron said, staggering to his feet. Liara nodded, shaking off her ordeal. She stumbled upwards, looking at the ship. She began jogging, catching up to Feron. They slid down the building's fire escape and made it to the landing pad.

Before they could celebrate, they had to get aboard. Feron ran as the ship began to take off. The ramp began to close, whirring as the engines roared. He leaped aboard and hauled Liara up, finally growing tired. They had made it.

The Ship rumbled to life as Mercs and Officers fired at them. The ship rumbled upwards and left the hellhole that is Omega. One of the corrupt officers raised his hand to his ear.

"Sir, they got away"

"Of course they did...I planned it Now Ilium will play a part in my game" The mysterious voice responded.


	3. Chapter 3: Church

Liara had spent the last month on Omega, hunting down Rokzac. He was dead, and she had the drive, but still she felt that there were more questions than answers.

Liara dropped her hood and sighed a relief.

"Finally. Ilium" Feron grinned, sat across from her. Suddenly her eyes widened in horror. She began searching every edge of her body for the drive

"No, no...Where is it? Oh goddess no!" She ceased her movement and looked up to see Feron holding it out.

"You need to relax" He chuckled. She snatched it.

"And you need to remind me when you take stuff!" She smiled, observing Ilium's Horizon as they raced over it.

"Ilium. One of the greatest wonders of the galaxy." Feron stated. Other passengers talked amongst themselves, chatting and growing excited to see Ilium, as if on holiday.

The sun breached the skyline in a magnificent display of color. Feron sighed, looking down.

"The last time I was here, the Reapers were arriving. I prepared myself to die, and then they just fell from the sky...dead. The only damage they caused was from their bodies crashing. I was lucky" She smiled.

"I'm glad you made it old friend. I couldn't have got this far in my search without you" She complimented him. He smirked.

"Thanks. With you till we find him" Feron committed himself to her search.

The Shuttle arrived at the Landing site. The ship hovered slowly and rotated through the air as it vertically lowered down to the pad. The ramp whirred and yawned open.

A burst of color and sunlight exploded through the opened door. Liara shielded her eyes. They soon adjusted and she saw Ilium through the sun's rays.

"Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to Ilium" the pilot announced. She smiled, admiring the planet she called home for several years of her life, while Shepard was being rebuilt by Cerberus. More recently it had been well over two years since she was last here. The war had a way of keeping her from this place.

Other passengers bustled passed her and down the ramp, carrying rucksacks and dragging suitcases. Feron stood up, stretching his back and groaning.

"Long flight" He yawned, stretching his arms upwards. She pressed down on her knees and stood from her seat.

"Welcome back Liara" Feron grinned. She walked down the ramp, into the light stained world. She admired the horizon as it enveloped the sky around her. Sky cars frolicked amongst the skyline as they flew around the skyscrapers, like wasps around a hive.

She looked around the area. She saw her old Office from her Information Broker days. Feron stepped off the ship as refueling crews began jogging over to the hull, connecting hoses to its underbelly. He stood next to her.

"So, shall we go see where this drive leads us?" he asked.

Liara walked across the Ilium landing zone, walking passed other Asari.

"There was a time when Thessia fell...that I thought I'd never see the Asari recover. Shepard reassured me we would. He was right. He gave me hope" she walked with Feron towards her Office.

"We can do this Feron. We can get him, I know it. I feel it"  
They paced to the giant circular door. The door beeped and slid open with a metallic hiss. She looked inside the office, memories flooding her brain.

It was untouched, a photo frame on her smooth polished desk of her and Shepard on the SR1 reflected in the light. She walked along the metal plated floor, running her palm along the black desk. A slight trail of dust lathered her finger tips. She walked around the desk and lifted the photo frame. It was the first time in months that she had seen his face, outside of her memories. She ran her finger tips over his face. She smiled gently and lifted it to her face, planting a soft kiss on his face.

"I will find you" She vowed. Feron walked over to her.

"You okay?" He asked, she responded with a nod, placing the photo back down on the desk. She pressed a button on the wall beneath the huge windows and they tinted to a very dark shade of black.

"He helped me defeat the Shadow Broker. He helped me save you. It's time we returned the favor" She said, walking over to her chair. Feron paced around the room, admiring her office.

"I've gotta say Liara, nice digs Liara" he joked. She gave no time to stop, grabbing her computer, and inserting the drive.

"You've been here before" She answered him, tapping away at her keyboard.

"Well, yeah I think I came here once for a task, but that's it" He said, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms. The computer beeped and accepted the drive.

"The encryption is being dealt with by my firewall program" she said.

"Shame about Glyph. He finally stopping calling everyone he saw the Broker" Feron laughed. She smiled.

"Yeah, he was helpful. Not for combat, but good for information" the computer fought the encryption

"30%" it stated.  
Liara walked around the desk and grabbed the largest drawer, pulling it out. Inside was her iconic white and blue armor and jacket outfit she wore to fight against the Shadow Broker and the Reapers.

"I left this here when I came here just before heading to Ilium. When I met up with you again"

"Yeah I remember, we were here for a couple of hours, then caught the ride to Omega. You've been wearing the hooded body armour for well over five months" Feron remembered.

"Not in a row! Goddess, I do shower Feron" She chuckled.

"Well, is it time for a new appearance, or should I say an old one?" He smiled.

"Seems only fitting" she said, pulling it out from the drawer in her desk. She held it by the shoulders and looked at it as she held it before herself.

"I'm coming for you Shepard" She smiled.

She grabbed the equipment, looking up at the oblivious Feron. She shrugged her shoulders at him, eyes beckoning him to leave with a roll of her pupils.

"Err, Feron, I need to change." He was confused.

"No you don't Liara, your great as you are, that's why Shepard cares for you" He obliviously stated. She raised an eyebrow, shaking her outfit in her hands. He finally caught on, eyes widening.

"Oh! Okay, right, I'll err wait outside" he said, pushing away from the wall and walking towards the exit, standing outside the door. The door slid shut with a mechanical hiss. Feron moaned and stretched his neck, crossing his arms as he lent against the door.

"So, Liara, When we get this drive working, what do you think we'll find?" she responded from inside the room.

"Well, you saw how hard they tried to kill us, obviously something important. Question is why they don't want Shepard found" he agreed with a nod. He lent back against the door, his head pressed against the cold metal.  
After minutes of waiting

"Can I come in yet?" he asked.

"By the Goddess Feron, give me some time!" She shouted, the sound of armor clanging against the floor muffled through the door. Feron exhaled as he twiddled his thumbs. Several minutes later her voices sounded from inside.

"Yeah" she responded. He stepped away from the door and it opened, revealing the Liara everyone recognized, the heroic Asari in her iconic lab coat. He smiled and nodded.

"Nice outfit Liara, think I'm starting to fall for you" he joked. She smirked and shook her head.

"Very funny Feron" she leaned against the desk, looking at the computer screen as it neared completion "75%" The computer announced. She sighed and looked away from the screen.

"I'm worried Feron. What if it's the worst outcome? He's dead, all those wasted months, I could have moved on...what am I saying. I'd never move on" Feron grasped her shoulder.

"It's okay Liara...we'll find him. No matter what. Rescue or closure." she nodded, still fearing the outcome.

"100%" The computer interrupted. Feron patted her shoulder and got up, backing away so she could open the file herself. She sighed, her stomach churning with nerves.

"Okay. Let's see what this has to offer." She said, pressing the open button.

* * *

Liara looked at the screen as it turned black. Moments passed as the screen stayed jet black. She was confused.

"It's a virus" Feron sighed. She shook her head.

"No, there's something there" The pair waited, when a voice spoke from the Computer.

"So, it's true. The great Liara T'soni has successfully retrieved the drive. Excellent." She was very puzzled by this point.

"What? Who is this?" The mystery voice spoke back

"Who I am doesn't matter. All that matters is Shepard, am I right?" she looked at Feron. He was shocked by how much this man knew.

"So Liara T'soni, or should I call you the Shadow Broker, how far are you willing to go for Shepard?"  
She recoiled in horror.

"How...how do you know that?" She asked with a stutter. He laughed through his nostrils

"I'm a very good Information Broker. You see Liara; information is like a game of poker. You hold the best cards, and you win. Same as in all things. But I have the royal flush. And I can't wait to use it"  
She looked at Feron with a mixture of anger and dread on her face. He was the same.

"So...how far are you willing to go for him?" The man asked.

"till the end" She snarled. He laughed in a deep rasp.

"Exactly what I wanted to hear, and so did he, didn't you Shepard, say hello Shepard" He said. Then another voice cried a groan

"Liara" it moaned quietly. She held her palms to her mouth. Her eyes widened.

"Shepard! He's alive Feron!" Feron sighed with relief. But the happiness was to fade.

The man responded, breaking the silence that Liara had created to ponder about the fact Shepard was alive. Her mind raced with images of him as he left her on the Normandy, running to the conduit beam. The last time she ever saw. But now, now there was a chance to save him.

"For now. I'm not going to lie to you T'soni; this isn't going to be easy for you. I will make you lose everything dear to you...to save what you hold dearest: Shepard. Before we begin, are you sure you want to join this game?" He sarcastically asked. She placed her palms on the desk and stared at the screen

"I'm not playing your game! I'm coming for Shepard, and I'll get him!" The man laughed demonically.

"Good! That's what I like to hear! A little spirit. Proves that little Liara has grown since Therum" She shook her head and sighed.

"How does he know all of this" she snarled to herself, head held low.

"I know everything Liara; I know that you and Shepard were joined when you stopped Saren, I know you took down the Original Broker and took his place. I...know...everything" He roared back.  
She suddenly realized.

"But you did nothing with it? You could have taken me down years ago"

"Liara, where's the fun in doing it yourself...when you can make them do it themselves. Self destruction" She listened. "Tell you what; I'll broker a deal, to turn a phrase. You call all of your Shadow Broker clients, and tell each and every one that Liara T'soni is the Shadow Broker. Then, I'll give you Shepard" He chuckled.

She growled "And if I refuse?" A gun cocked through the communication.

"Then Shepard takes a Carnifex round to the heart. Listen to his cries of pain before he dies Liara, for your selfishness"  
She looked at Feron. He shook his head, eyes wide with shock.

"Liara, what do we do?" He asked, hands on his head. She looked back at the blank screen, heart thumping harder and faster, waiting for a response.

"Tell them, or Shepard dies! I'm a man of my word" she hovered her finger over the communications button, linking her to all her clients. If she tells them, then everyone who wants to kill the Broker would know it's her. Her life as the Shadow Broker would end. All her resources would dissolve.

"Say it!" He roared. She hit down on the button. She took a sigh, disabling the voice distorter, so they can hear her true voice.

"This is the Shadow Broker. My...My..." The voice came back from the computer.

"Liara, Shepard is one bullet away from death" He snarled. She shook her head, scrambling the image of a Carnifex pressed to his bruised chest, and took a deep inhale.

"My true identity is Liara T'soni. I am an Information Broker on Ilium. Come and get me if you can" She exhaled, dropping her shoulders. She looked up as all the clients left the conversation, their voice readings ceasing. She looked down

"It's done. It's over" she said solemnly.

"Good. But I have a confession. Well, two actually. I won't be giving you Shepard that easily. Isn't it funny how love blinds us?" He snarled. She stepped away from the computer, flipping her chair and screaming in rage. She slammed her fist against the glass, cracking it. Liara had tears roll along her blue cheeks. Feron ran his palms along his head. He sighed and shook his Drell head.

"The Second confession?" She asked, head pressed against the cracked glass.

"I know for a fact that the Ilium Blue Suns clan have a score to settle with the Broker. And thanks to my funding, they have gunships, always have. I deliver to those who promise chaos on the alliance worlds"

She shook her head, swinging back at her computer.

"Why? Why do this?" she growled.

"The Reapers were the answer to Chaos...I am merely the Question" He stated. She tensed her fist.

"Who...are you, so when I kill you, I can make you say your name as you die"

He laughed "The name's Church. But you won't get near me. You have no Idea where to find me, and if you survive this, then maybe we'll chat again." Feron was confused.

"Survive? Survive what?" he asked.

"Oh that's simple Feron. The drive is actually a transmitter. Your location has been broadcasted to the Blue Suns, and if I'm correct, which I always am...they are here for you. Tick, tock boom"

They looked up at the same time to see a Blue Suns Gunship hovering outside the window. Without any hesitation, the Gunship releases a missile, hurtling towards the Office.

"Get down!" Feron roared, pushing Liara to the ground. The missile slammed into the building, erupting in a huge fireball, blowing Liara and Feron against the wall. Glass shattered and the floor rumbled. In the blink of an eye, Liara's legacy had been destroyed.

Church sat in his dark Office, turning off the transmitter as two soldiers dragged a weak Shepard away.

"Goodbye T'soni...for now"


	4. Chapter 4: Death of the Shadow Broker

The Office erupted in a huge ball of orange fire. Smoke began to sweep along the rooms floor. Still deafened by the explosion, Liara stumbled across the crumbling floor. The sounds of screams echoed through the halls of Ilium. She coughed and spluttered, clambering to her feet. Liara coughed and wheezed on the choking smoke. Feron groaned, gritting his teeth and holding his chest.

"Feron!" She shouted, running to his aid. She carefully picked him up. He got up looking through the smoke and fire to see the Gunship readying for another assault. His eyes widened with horror as another missile fired. The rocket came hurtling towards them from the ship, slamming into the Office. The pair flew through the air, arms and legs stretched out. Debris hurtled through the air with them. Liara slammed against the wall. She groaned as she slumped to the floor again.

"Goddess" She mumbled. Feron couldn't take much more. the door began to countdown it's security lock. She activated the door and using her Biotics picked him up and hurled him out of the door, before the security lock activated, a mechanism used to contain the fire. She was now locked in her office. Feron slid along the floor, immediately getting up and running to the door.

"No!" he roared, trying to move it, but it wouldn't budge. He slammed his fist against it

"I'm fine Feron, get others to safety, go!" She shouted through the door. The front segment of the room began to crack and cave. The glass cracked and smashed as the building's girders twisted and melted from the heat. The Gunship came around again firing another missile, destroying the supports under her office. Feron had just cleared the area as the missile hit. His eyes filled with horror as he saw her office crumbling. People screamed and ran from the falling rubble. Asari and Volus ran from the shopping terminals beneath the office.

Liara stood up, standing tall in her smouldering Office. She slowly walked forwards through the explosions. Her eyes were closed, shielding her face with her palms. The desk she used to sit at burnt and fell from the now slightly diagonal building. She stood at the edge of the room. The smoke cleared enough to reveal the huge Gunship. She opened her eyes, glaring at it. She stared down the massive metal bird.

"Come on, do it" she snarled. The Gunship hovered back slightly. She looked as the missile loaded onto its arm. The missile detached and the rocket fired, launched straight at her.

Using her Biotics she caught the missile. It hovered, inches from her face, blue energy pulsating around the missile and her. Her feet slid back slowly as the missile still pushed towards her. She groaned and growled as she used her strong Biotics to control the missile. She looked at the gunship and using her power slowly began to rotate the missile.

She roared in agony as the missile tilted towards the Gunship. The missile nose aimed at the cockpit. She snarled as she released her biotic grip. The rocket jettisoned towards the gunship.

"Oh shit, bug out!" the pilot shouted. Before the Gunship could escape the rocket rammed through the cockpit, blowing the Gunship up in a massive explosion. The blue and silver metal erupted outwards like petals in autumn, falling in a fiery plume.

Liara fell to her knees from exhaustion. She looked down to see a fountain with a pool of water around it. Liara peered up to see two more Gunships arrive, different clans wanting the killer of the Shadow Broker title. She couldn't fight them anymore. She used all her strength on that missile. The smoke was strangling her and exhausting her.

She had no choice as her office began to finally give in to the stress. The Gunships jettisoned two missiles. She rolled off of the building and fell into the fountain with a cold splash. No longer than a few seconds later did two more missiles finish the office, sending debris and fire hurtling into the air. The massive structure slid down the side of the building and slammed into the shopping center, a pile of debris and rubble forming as her legacy disintegrated. The rubble landed inches away from the fountain.

...

* * *

...

Meanwhile as her office was tumbling, Feron limped, covered in dust and debris. screams cried and echoed as explosions roared. armed security guards, barged past the Drell and towards the sight of the hovering Gunships.

For a moment a dark thought caressed his mind. What if he just left? What if he took this opportunity to leave, get away now with his life? He quickly swished it away as he shook his head. He turned, jogging back around the corner, just in time to see the final barrage of missile blow the Office sky high. chunks of metal and concrete became air born and a visible shock wave boomed outwards, blowing people over within a certain vicinity.

His eyes filled with a deep emotion.

"Liara!" he roared over the crack of exploding concrete and collapsing metal. the gunships titled and began backing away as the office leaned forward and finally caved, falling to it's metal girder knees and slumping into a huge grow grey plume of dust and debris. the sound of the collapse deafened the Ilium markets. Volus and Asari ran for their lives, their gorgeous dresses stained with dust and even blood. Volus spluttered as their filters began to shut down as they inhaled dust. the huge cloud of debris rolled ooutwards, blocking the sun and the gunships.

the collapse had been over for minutes bu still it echoed across the city and screams of panic filled the air. Feron tried to maneuver through the thick dust and panicking people.

"Liara!" he begged and roared.

...

* * *

...

The gunships hovered as they watched her office disintegrate and the tracker disappear from their huge cloud of dust rippled outwards over the markets as it swallowed the falling building. armed guards fired at the gunships, only denting and ricocheting off the hull.

"That's it, we got her. The Shadow Broker was caught unawares" The pilots agreed.

"She still took down one of us though" A Turian agent noted as he watched the crashed hull of the missile stricken gunship burn below them.

"Good job, lets boogie. Drinks are on the Blue suns tonight!" The Batarian pilot snarled, ignoring the Turian. The gunships slowly tilted and flew away from their massive destruction. Sirens wailed as Police and fire sky cars hummed overhead.

Liara stayed under the water, holding her breath. Feron watched as the building burned, fearing the loss of his best friend.


	5. Chapter 5: Reassembling the crew

Liara clambered out of the pool, falling onto the sharp mountain of rubble and choking on the cloud of grey dust. She couldn't help but cry. Her legacy, the Shadow Broker was dead. She had worked and invested so many years in it that it felt like a part of her, if not all of her had died, from a mastermind Terrorist she had never heard of or known: Church. He threatened to destroy her and Shepard, who he allegedly had captured. She couldn't dwell for long, as a searching Feron clambered over the rubble, calling out her name.

"Liara!" She heard get bellowed from the rubble.

Liara limped over to a groaning Feron. She was soaking from the fountain dive. His face was full of joy and thanks.

"Spirits, thank you" He whispered, jogging down the rubble to her. They both peered at the rubble in disbelief at how quickly they had lost everything.

"So I take it the Shadow Broker is no more?" Feron asked. She sighed, nodding slowly.

"Yeah...it's over" Liara solemnly said. Feron growled, before spinning around and booting a chunk of debris into the smoke clogged air.

"So, now what? No resources, no funding, no location. Just a mad man who's allegedly holding Shepard in a corner of the galaxy" He lent against the dented metal railing, overlooking the amber sunset that choked on the grey cloud. She limped over to him, groaning in pain.

"Feron. It's not over. Not yet" Feron was confused and very skeptical of her statement.

"How? We have nothing. No ship no crew, how would we even get near Shepard?" She smirked.

"I know a guy who owes me a few favors. He's got the dossiers on the perfect squad" Feron looked at her in surprise.

"You mean...the crew from the Normandy?" Before she could reply a blue suns group left the smouldering wreck of her office. They overheard "No bodies, the Broker is still alive!" Guards were too busy attended to the wounded to notice these Blue Suns mercenaries.

Liara looked for an exit. Under her office was a doorway. It had been blown open by missile debris and fire. "Come on, through the tunnel, we'll discuss it more once we are out of sight" Feron nodded in agreement, as they ran towards the tunnel entrance.

"Liara, we can't stay on Ilium" He stated, picking up a predator pistol from the body of a dead guard. He threw the pistol to her, and she caught it, checking the thermal clip with a swift cock of the gun.

"You're right, we're wanted now." They ascended through the dark, damaged hallway. Sparks flickered from the ceiling cracks. Wires hang like several veins from the concrete skin. Smoke loomed along the ground beside them. Feron paced alongside her, aiming down the hallway.

"Liara, what were you saying about this squad?" She stopped walking, checking the corners and tunnel entrance behind them. The area was clear. She holstered her predator and began tapping at her amber glowing Omni tool. Feron aimed his pistol down the hallway, covering her while she worked.

"When Shepard worked with Cerberus, he was given the Dossiers on the greatest squad ever assembled. I don't have that, but I have the next greatest thing: Friendship. They would all jump at the chance to help Shepard, I know it! Now we can assemble them" Feron sighed, skeptical of her desperation.

"Liara, how? We don't have a ship. We don't have a pilot" She smirked.

"Well, that's where we start. I know just the pilot" she looked at the hologram of Jeff Joker Moreau. A biography flickered beside the three dimensional image of him.

"Yeah, but how do we get to him, charter another ship?" Feron asked.

"Yeah, we'll sneak aboard a ride to the Citadel" Liara simply stated, like it was an easy task at hand. Feron was shocked, after how the war ended, how could it be intact?

"The Citadel, it's complete?" he asked, aiming at a noise, and then lowering his jumpy arms. She shook her head.

"No, but two arms have been completed; he's on one of them. We'll have to head to Earth, since that's the location of the Citadel now" Feron nodded.

"We'll have to get aboard one of the F.T.L powered ships. No way we can afford a ticket now" He stated the obvious. She snapped at him.

"Yes Feron, I know! I lost the Broker's toys, abilities, power. But I won't stop till I find Shepard" she stared at him with glassy eyes. He nodded in disbelief of her determination. Crazy or not, this was love, the most powerful weapon someone could wield.

"I'm sorry Liara. I wasn't thinking" He apologized to her. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, a human trait she had picked up from Shepard.

"It's okay, I'm not mad at you, just at this whole situation. We still have more questions than answers" Feron patted her shoulder.

"Liara...I don't mean to take away hope, but how can we believe that this man even has Shepard?" she stared at him in awe of his disbelief.

"Feron we heard him moan my name"

"You were a Broker Liara! You used to fake voice prints all the time to get what you want!" He roared.

"Yes, but Shepard never said my name in that way. No way could they steal that voice!" She responded.

"Okay, if you're sure, I'm with you" Feron pledged.

"Yeah, let's get our crew" Liara nodded, filing away Jokers information. Feron remembered.

"So, about the ship we need. You know, the reason we need Joker...what was your plan? Can't we go to the Alliance for help?" He asked her as he looked over his shoulder to be sure no one was approaching them. She looked back at her glowing Omni tool.

"They won't help, they believe he died. and besides, not after what I'm planning" Feron was concerned "What are you planning?"

She smirked "We're going to steal the Normandy"

Feron recoiled in horror "Oh Liara, that's insane! You want to steal the most important, high tech ship ever created from the Alliance?" She nods. Nods, like it was an errand run.

"It's the only ship capable of jumping systems undetected and fast enough to go across systems quickly. If we are going to get Shepard alive, we need a stealth ship" Suddenly the silence shattered.

"Well, well Shadow Broker. Oh wait, Liara T'soni, right?" The Batarian Blue Suns leader said, strolling towards them. His Turian mercenary stood beside him, weapon in hand.

"We kill you, and the bounty is all ours. 40 million credits!" The Batarian greedily laughed. Feron and Liara raised their eyebrows, weapons aimed.

"Bounty?" she asked.

"You are now the most wanted prizes in the galaxy, the head of the infamous Shadow broker. You've made some enemies Broker" He chuckled.

Feron backed away, alongside Liara, both of them weapons raised.

"Chaos is rising, and there is nothing you can do. In the wake of the Reapers destruction, spread chaos" He growled. Liara aimed at his head, peering up at a dangling cable.

"Church will fire chaos across Alliance worlds, and we are his weapon" The Batarian stepped in a small puddle. The water splashed and rippled around his boot, reflecting the swinging cable.

"Feron, run, I'll catch up" she ordered. Feron nodded, turning and running down the hallway. The puddle was a concoction of fuel and water. She slowly stepped back, watching the sparking cable. The Batarian chuckled.

"Kill her" He snarled. The Turian lifted his gun and aimed at her. She punched down on a nearby gas valve. The gas hissed into the room.

"Okay, but at least give me a head start" she joked.

"Say goodbye" The Turian chuckled. Liara smirked.

"I was going to say the same to you" She pulled back on the predator. The thermal clip ejected, flipping through the air, towards the fuel. The metal clip was red hot and overheated. She immediately turned, fleeing with all her might as the clip bounced along the floor towards the puddle. Gas filled the room. Suddenly the Batarian realized. He looked at the hissing valve and the bouncing clip. It rolled into the puddle.

"No! Kill her!" He roared, aiming and firing at her. He fired one round. The muzzle flash erupted, igniting the gas. The room erupted in a massive fireball. The huge explosion raced through the hallway, blowing Liara and Feron out of the tunnel. They slid along the floor. Feron slid under the hand railing and held onto it for dear life, overlooking the mile long drop below. Liara also fell through it and held onto the wall, looking down at the mile high drop. Debris rattled around them, falling to the ground below. The heat of the flames dried their eyes. She groaned. Feron moaned in pain.

"Liara, promise me no more explosions" She smirked "agreed" Silence filled the area, occasional shattered by a scream and crackling of fire. She grabbed the hand railing and roared as she hauled herself back up. Liara clambered over the metal bar. Feron copied, pulling himself up over the rail.

He fell on his back with a groan "ow" he simply stated. a small flame flickered on his shoulder. Feron recoiled his head from it, swatting and snuffing it. She stood, hunched over, holding her stomach.

"We have to leave Ilium" Feron groaned. She shook her head.

"Not yet. We need to see the informant about the dossiers. He has their locations. I kept them with him in case this event ever happened. Last thing I want are my friend's homes attacked" Feron nodded.

"But you want them to go into hell to save Shepard?" She sighed "I need them. I don't want their families hurt though. I hope they see the need to help, otherwise we won't find him. Come on, we need to move. He's in the Gartac Skyscraper, let's go" The pair jogged away from the blaze. They can no longer stay in one place for too long. They are not safe anywhere anymore.


	6. Chapter 6: Another lesson from Church

Three hours had passed since the fall of the Shadow Broker. Liara and Feron had navigated through Blue Suns swamped streets and side stepped several other clans.

They reached the massive slim structure of the Gartac Tower. It was a tall silver tower with curved walls that protruded up through the Illium skyline. They walked through the empty lobby towards the Elevator. Feron aimed his predator pistol round every dark corner.

"Liara, sun's setting we need to hurry. Blue suns are searching for us" He looked out of the lobby window, while Liara called down the Elevator. He was overcome by horror as he saw every building's hologram billboard flicker and change. He squinted as he saw the billboards changing.

"Err, Liara?" He asked as she tilted her head slightly. They became gigantic Wanted posters, showing images of Liara T'soni and Feron. "Oh this is not good" He said, staggering back from the window. She slowly stepped away from the elevator, waiting for it to arrive. Feron stared at the wanted posters, knowing that Illium was definitely not a safe resort anymore.

Liara stood beside him looking at the posters. "Oh goddess, I lived here for years, and now I can't show my face. Church will pay for this" she vowed. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. She looked over her shoulder.

"Come on Feron. We get the Dossiers and we can leave" she snarled. Search lights from passing Gunships flooded the Lobby with light, revealing what the darkness had concealed. Dead bodies lay in the once darkened corners.

"Goddess, they've been killed" Liara stated. Feron shook his head.

"They knew we were coming, cleared the civilians out. The easy way" He explained.

"These monsters, they'd do anything for the reward" She snarled as she walked into the elevator, knowing this anarchy was her fault for returning to Illium. The door shut and the elevator began to rise. Liara burst into tears, unable to hold it back any longer. Feron comforted he.

"Liara, what's wrong?" She shook her head, lifting it from her palms. "It's everything. If I hadn't of returned to Illium, used that drive, no one would have died" He rubbed her shoulder in comfort.

"Hey, that's not true. You could have never known about this. It's not like you made him an enemy. He made you an enemy. And that was a bad move, now come on. Let's go get the dossiers" He smiled with his Drell lips. She nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes and sniffing.

"Okay, okay...let's do it" She raised her pistol and swallowed her emotions. Feron grabbed a Mantis sniper rifle from a dead security guard in the corner of the elevator. He pressed the activation button and the barrel extended with a metallic scrape. He nodded at her with a grin.

"We'll be okay" he whispered, comforting his best friend, but not believing his own voice.

...

The elevator doors slid open and they arrived at the top floor. She stepped out first, aiming her pistol down the hallway. The sun began to slip behind the skyline and the amber breath of its light died. They entered the hallway as night fell. Feron watched over her shoulder through the sniper scope, for any enemy movement.

The long wall of glass overlooking Illium stretched along the hallway beside them. Suddenly blinding light exploded through the glass alongside them.

"Duck!" Liara shouted, diving to cover behind a sofa. Feron did the same, hiding behind another chair. A huge Blue Suns gunship flew alongside the building, searching for them.

"They're here, I just know it!" The Pilot announced. The gunship flew outside the window, flooding the hallway with blinding light. The jets whirred and moaned as it searched the building for them. They clung to the cover of the sofas to stay out of its light.

"Keep searching!" the pilot roared, disabling the light and flying off to another floor. Silence returned as the Gunship moved on.

"Alright, let's go, before he comes back" Feron said, climbing to his feet. Liara stood up. She jogged, beginning to sprint down the hallway towards the next door, one step closer to her informant's room. She ran, arms swinging as they neared the door. Feron was right behind her, sniper rifle on his back, folded up and deactivated. Suddenly the door burst open and three Blue Suns mercenaries aimed at them.

"Kill her!" they bellowed. Liara had to think, sprinting at them. She ducked down, sliding along the floor, firing at them from the floor. Luckily her armored thighs allowed her to slide and her lab coat simply helped to graze over the floor. She shot one of them in the head, his body slumping to the carpet with a bloody thump. The other two were shot in the heart by Feron, aiming his recently reactivated Mantis.

"Maybe I'll just keep this in my hands" he joked. Liara groaned as she stood from the carpet. "Carpet burn from that slide?" He laughed.

"Lucky I was wearing my armor" She nodded. He chuckled.

"Come on, let's get these damned Dossiers...and leave" Feron said. She aimed her gun and continued through the door, stepping over the leaking corpses. Different shades of blood stained and soaked the carpet. Suddenly the Gunship returned, blasting light into the second hallway.

"Hit the deck!" Feron shouted, no time to hide behind the sofas. They both threw themselves to the floor, hiding from the gunship once again. "Liara, crawl!" He shouted. They both hauled themselves along the carpet, slowly nearing the door. Liara stayed close to the wall, staying in the manipulated shadow of the wall. The Gunship hovered by the window, flying alongside the building. The Gunship turned, flying away to another area of the building, searching to find them.

"40 million credits ain't escaping me!" the Pilot bellowed "Find them!" darkness returned, becoming their ally once again.

"Okay, we're clear" Liara said, climbing up to her feet, pushing away from the carpet. Feron was stood behind her. They continued along the hallway.

"Forty Million credits? For us?" Liara asked.

"Don't know whether to be annoyed or flattered" Feron scoffed. He walked behind her as they steadied their pace.

"That the door?" He asked. She nodded.

"Feron, guard the door. I'll go in, get the dossiers and we'll leave. Stay safe" She smiled to him.

He nodded "You too" She tapped against the door gently, yet with a slight aggression in her wrist.

"Go away!" A voice shouted from inside, terrified.

"It's me, Liara. Liara T'soni? Owen, let me in!" she said. A few moments passed of sheer agony and dread.

"Liara? Okay, I'm opening the door" He said in a muffled tone.

The door slid open. A gun barrel greeted her face, her head recoiling and Feron aiming at him.

"Oh thank god, it really is you" He lowered the gun and welcomed her.

"Come on in" He said in a slight raspy voice. She nodded, walking in. Feron stood against the door, mantis in hand, waiting for enemies. He looked out the window. As he peered down he saw nearly six gunships searching the building for them, light painting the building walls in large bright circles.

...

Liara greeted Owen with a hug. "Thank the goddess you're alive" she said with a smile. He patted her back.

"Yeah, you too. God it's been months since we've seen each other. You're a tough girl now aren't ya?" He joked. Owen was a human informant who moved to Illium from the Citadel during the Reaper war; a way to escape the conflict. He had a thick grey moustache and shaved head, and was loyal to Liara, keeping her details secret and to his heart.

"Liara, what did you need to see me about?" he asked. She got straight down to business, peering through the blinds at the gunships circling the building, like hornets round a nest.

"Owen, I need those Dossiers I gave you. The copies I made from when Shepard fought the Reapers. I need that crew" He nodded immediately to her.

"Of course, I kept them locked away in my encrypted data, here, I'll patch them over to your Omni tool" he said.

She shook her head "No, I need the physical data cards. I can't risk losing the data if they get me. Their homes could be attacked because of it" Owen slapped his head in realizing the truth. The physical cards can be destroyed, deleting a file leaves remnants that can be pieced back together.

"Yep, of course, no silly me, okay, one sec. they're in the bottom of my desk drawer, hold on" He said, running around the room, grabbing the key and kneeling down behind the desk. She held her gun to her hip.

"So, what have you been up to?" She asked, admiring his Office. She looked at a shelf with stacks of old dictionaries and Thesaurus's. The aroma of stale old paper caressed her nostrils.

"Oh you know bits and bobs. I've mainly been working on bringing down the crime on Illium, helping the officials with Blue Suns movement. Seems like it didn't work though, I mean look outside!" He asked, confused to the situation.

She nodded, scratching the back of her neck. "Yeah, a lot can change in a few hours" Owen skimmed the data cards containing all the information on the crew along the desk. Liara strolled over, sliding them together into one stack. "Thanks Owen, I owe you" She looked them over, scanning names she knew well.

He stood up "So, what's going on, why the rush?" he asked. She stopped in her steps.

"Well, a man named Church just put an end to my Shadow Broker work. It's over." Owen placed his palms on the desk, jerking his head down.

"Huh, so nothing left?" he crossed his arms, occasionally peering down at the drawer.

She shook her head "Nope, he destroyed my office and now allied the Blue suns and eclipse clans to kill me" Owen nodded, swinging his finger.

"Yeah, I saw the posters. Your face is plastered all over Illium, what happened Liara? How'd he unite them?"

She sighed "its funny how easy they forget their differences when the prize is forty million credits for me dead" Owen staggered back.

"Whoa forty million, dead?" His head lowered in a hard thinking pose.

"Yeah, that is a lot of credits" she said, looking over the dossiers. His hands pressed against the desk again, his right palm slowly reaching to the drawer, grabbing his Carnifex. She looked over her shoulder at him. His gun quickly rose at her. She dropped the cards and raised her gun at him.

"Owen, what the hell?" He pointed the barrel at her.

"Liara, 40 million is a lot of credits. Enough for me to rebuild my life! I can pay off all my debt, not have to live in the shadows anymore!" He shouted to her. She snarled at him.

"So that's it? After everything, you turn like that? For credits?!" She growled. He sighed, and then nodded.

"I'm sorry. But I have to do this. Goodbye Liara, forgive me"  
Before he could squeeze the trigger, she fired in his arm. He jerked back, arm flying out, releasing the pistol. He cried in pain holding his arm. Owen slumped to his knees.

"Liara, forgive me" He snarled. she looked at him with her big blue eyes.

"Why Owen! Why? I trusted you!" She shouted at him. He looked up at her.

"We have debts. Debts that...need to be payed. please forgive me for this" He snarled.

She walked over to him. He had another pistol behind his back. His other arm reached for it.

"Forgive yourself" She growled, firing through his skull. He fell back, landing on his gun. Owen was dead, and if a loyal agent like him would turn for credits...who else?

"No loose ends Owen" she said in a stern voice, not hiding the pain of what she just had to grabbed the data cards from the floor. The door hissed open and a gun drawn Feron walked in.

"I heard gunfire, are you okay?" He asked. She shook her head with a sigh.

"No, I just had to kill a friend. What I thought was a friend" she exhaled. Feron sighed, lowering his gun.

"I'm sorry Liara, but we've got a lot more of this to deal with. This day and age, the Reaper war debt? People are going to kill for that money" She grabbed Owen's sky car keys from his desk with a metallic rattle.

"Come on, it'll be on the rooftop" She stormed out of his office, not looking back. Anger and upset had overcome her. Feron caught up to her.

"Liara, I'm sorry. Owen was desperate, shows that we can't trust anyone. Not anymore" Feron said. She shook her head, a frown plastered to her blue lips.

"I'd worked with him for years. But as soon as he heard the amount for us dead...he turned" Feron sighed.

"Liara, I'm sorry" she kept storming down the hallway. Feron growled, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around.

"Will you stop for a second?" He roared. She simply sighed

"What?" She grumbled. Feron held her shoulders, looking her in the eyes.

"Liara, we can't just blindly get in a sky car and fly to the Citadel shuttle! We need a plan" She lent her head back.

"Your right...goddess you're always right. I'm sorry Feron, but...he just turned so quickly. It's as if he...he" She suddenly realized that Owen was working with Church the whole time.

"Feron. He knew about the situation as soon as I entered the room. How did he know I was in trouble? He already had a gun, one on his back in case I got the upper hand. He planned for my arrival! Feron, if he was working for Church for that long, he could have told him information"

Feron snarled "Like the Shadow Broker's location?" She nodded, roaring with anger and punching the window. The drive was never a transmitter, Owen gave the coordinates. A huge web of cracks spread like veins across the flexing glass.

"Owen betrayed me. Feron...you're...you're loyal to me right?" she asked looking out the window, watching gunships circle the building. He breathed in.

"Liara, come on, you know I am. How could you ask that?" she spun around to face him.

"I have to ask! You've betrayed me before remember? I though Owen was stronger than that. But money always buys friends" Liara looked down. Feron lifted her chin, her eyes locking with his.

"Not this friend" he managed a slight grin.

"Thanks Feron" She smiled back, lifting her head, looking brighter and braver.

Suddenly a blinding white light flooded the hallway. The huge hull of a gunship hovered inches from the window. The light glared at them, illuminating Liara and Feron. They shield their eyes.

"We've found T'soni! I repeat we have found T'soni, all units to the Gartac tower, now!" the Pilot announced. "And to make sure the Blue Suns get the reward first, here's a taster" he snarled. Liara looked in horror as the sound of a Gatling gun whirred to life.

"Feron get down!" she cried, diving to cover, lying out of sight of the gun. Suddenly an explosion of glass and bullets erupted. They shielded their heads from the falling glass and whizzing bullets. The wall behind them was shredded, like piranha teeth on soft skin.

The gunship exhausted its guns, a loud hissing expelled from the amber glowing barrels. "Damn, overheated!" a voice cried from the cockpit. Liara bought her chance, standing up and flinging Biotic blasts at the hull. Feron grabbed her wrist.

"No, the wreckage could fall and kill some innocent bystanders, we can't fight back!" He ordered her. She sighed in a defeated huff.

"Fine, come on, let's get to the sky car and get off of Illium!" They ran along the hallway, bolting towards the elevator at the end of the darkened room. The gunship flew alongside them. The now cooled gun, firing behind them. A stream of threatening bullets chased them, ripping along the wall.

Feron sprinted behind her, their breathing huffing and panting in their ears, the sound of their blood pumping deafening.

"Run Liara run!" Feron shouted. The elevator grew nearer along the stretched hallway. They jumped over the dead Blue suns members from before. The roar of the gunship kept them sprinting, tired and weakened by moral. The elevator door slid open and a squad of Blue Suns mercenaries fired at them. Liara threw a biotic blast of singularity at them. They suddenly began to lift off of the floor, gravity taken from them. They clung onto the elevator door and hand rails, legs being dragged into the air. Liara and Feron quickly drew their pistols and fired at them, still running from the gunships blasts.

The bodies fell from the air with a thud. Feron and Liara quickly dived into the elevator, safe from the Gunship, for now. The door slowly slid shut as Feron quickly tapped the button. The doors failed to shut as the Blue Suns bodies blocked the doors. Liara kicked and shoved at the bodies, knocking them clear of the doors. The doors slammed shut and the elevator began to climb the final stage to the rooftop.

Liara and Feron both panted and caught their breath from the terrifying sprint. The sound of calm elevator music chimed. Feron stood next to her in silence, cracking his neck from side to side. Liara popped her knuckles against her palm.

"You miss those talks we had in the ship over Hagalaz?" He asked her, staring at the door, as if they were two strangers.

"I have a pistol Feron" She snarled.

"Shutting up now" He smirked.

"When we get tot he car, we'll be pursued across Illium. I'll have to do something I learned from Shepard"

"Oh that doesn't sound good." Feron chuckled.

"We'll use the traffic tunnels to get around the buildings. the Gunships won't pursue us through there...I hope"

Suddenly a voice called over the elevator speakers, killing the dull elevator music.

"T'soni, well done on killing Owen, I knew he wouldn't be able to get you. That's why I made the reward for your death so high...because no one without an army would be able to do it." Liara looked at the speaker.

"Church" The speaker responded in his same dark voice.

"Of course, I have to admit, good job on getting the Dossiers. Looking forward to seeing you assemble this squad. The one thing I don't know...is who you're going to recruit. But I like a surprise from time to time, and so do you. Consider this a surprise" She was baffled.

"What? What surprise?" she asked.

Church chuckled. "Owens office of course. Oh, did I spoil it? Oh well, at least you'll get to experience it"

Suddenly a massive explosion erupted and shook the elevator violently. Liara and Feron both fell over.

"Goddess, what was that?" she fumbled. Church's voice returned.

"A little reminder of my true power over you" He chuckled. Liara was furious.

"How have you planned all of this? How could you possibly know, how could you come out of nowhere?!" she roared in anger and frustration.

"I've always been here, always been watching you, planning, and praying for this moment. And I got it, my bargaining chip to cripple you...Shepard. I was the one who gave you the leads on the original Shadow Broker. I betrayed him for you. Back in my Alliance days, I gave the original Normandy the location of Therum. Your location" She leaned against the elevator wall.

"It's because of you that Shepard found me?" she asked in a solemn tone. Church responded.

"I had to make sure Shepard had something to miss, something to fight for, and something to hold after he defeated the Reapers for me. Otherwise this plan would never exist. I made you what you are Liara, now I'm destroying it. I carved the path you walked; now...I'm tearing it up beneath you"

She sighed "but why? What have I done to you?" a delay of silence came between them. Church spoke with an emotion behind his tone.

"You failed to save the few who were innocent...important. Now you can lose like I lost! Goodbye T'soni, maybe now you will feel true loss. Oh, and this mission of yours? Make sure your friendships are solid, because they will be tested. I don't want you dead just yet. You need to feel loss, experience it" The elevator dinged. "Starting...now"

The door opened and the Gunship hovered above the roof, looking at them with a huge search beam pointed at them. A squad of Blue Suns mercenaries aimed at them. Feron stepped forward, looking upon the huge problem before them. The city skyline was plastered with wanted posters of Liara and Feron.

"He turned our home against us. He made it personal" Liara growled "Feron, get to the sky car. Once I shoot the search light, use the cover of darkness to get around them"

Feron leaned over, whispering in her ear "What about you?" Liara stepped forward out of the elevator.

"I'm going to show them why I get called a pure blood bitch" her aggression shocked Feron, but only for a moment. She clenched her fist and it turned a forceful biotic blue. She held her pistol in the other hand.

"Now, go!" She shouted, aiming at the searchlight and firing at it. Several rounds later and glass shattered, destroying the bulb. Darkness descended over the rooftop. Feron went along with her plan, skirting around the darkened edges.

...

Liara exploded with a built up biotic rage. Blue energy pulsated around her figure as she flung Blue suns members across the rooftop, carving a way towards the Sky car. A Blue Suns sniper sat poised behind a lamppost. His scope danced on Liara's forehead.

Suddenly Feron arrived from the darkness, grasping the snipers neck and snapping it with a violent tug. He dropped the corpse and watched as Liara threw mercenaries through the air, and slammed them back down with a concrete cracking slam. She grabbed a Merc with her biotics and pulled him across the roof, holding him up in the air, painted in biotic energy.

"Where is he! Where's my Shepard?!" She roared, snarling and flaring her teeth in anger at the choking guard. He smiled.

"You'll never find him" the mercenary choked and coughed.

"I'll never stop looking" Liara hissed. She sharply looked over her arm at the inbound Gunship. The damaged search light proved it was the same one. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows distorted down in aggression. She held her arms close to her chest, and lifted from the ground, wrapping herself in a cocoon of biotic energy. She suddenly exploded in white hot rage. A massive shock wave of biotic energy erupted across the rooftop, turning anyone within a close radius to molten ash. The Mercenary exploded into grey and blue ash from her biotic blast. She dropped to her knee from exhaustion. Blue steam hissed and rose from her back, shaking off the biotic power she just emitted. She raised her head and looked at the Gunship.

"It's over T'soni!" The Pilot roared. She groaned and stood up, facing the massive Gunship. She breathed heavily and closed her eyes, knowing she couldn't take it down. The sound of the whirring Gatling gun grew louder, signing her death.

Suddenly a loud bang echoed. She opened her eyes to see Feron using the dead Sniper's rifle. The cockpit had a bullet hole cracked through the glass. Blood stained the other side of the cabin. The pilot breathed heavily and finally died, leaning forward on the throttle. The Gunship whirred louder and tilted towards the roof.

"Liara move!" Feron shouted. She dove backwards towards the elevator. The Gunship slammed into the concrete, sliding along the surface. Turbine fans crackled and exploded into sharp fragments of metal and carbon fiber. The engine moaned and screamed, before it perished and ceased. Smoke rose from the metal corpse and cracks spread from the body's impact.

Silence roared once more, swallowing the dead conflict. Several guards were lucky with only broken bones and concussions, rolling on the floor.

Liara clambered to her feet, taking a look at the dead Gunship. She walked alongside it, looking at the dead pilot through the shattered glass. Feron greeted her, dropping the sniper rifle with a bang.

"Wow. That was some powerful biotics back there" He said. She fell forward from exhaustion. Feron caught her, throwing her arm over his shoulder. He hauled her up as she struggled to stay upright.

"Whoa, come on, let's get out of here" He said, carrying her to the awaiting red sky car.


	7. Chapter 7: Monorail ride from Hell

Feron raced through the sky bound streets of Illium, shouting for Liara to "wake up", and to "hold on" the red stolen sky car dipped and dived around skyscrapers, Feron tried to keep his eyes on the opposite coming traffic, but his eyes kept being drawn to the thousands of billboard plastered with their faces.

_Warning, these subjects are highly dangerous do not approach. Reward of Forty Million credits dead._

Feron struggled to comprehend this...this mastermind. How in less than six hours he had destroyed the Shadow Broker, and made Illium a dangerous place for them to stay.

"Liara! Wake up!" Feron cried, her eyes fluttering slowly and moaning as she awoke with a migraine thumping.

"Feron, where..." She saw a sky truck speeding at them, popping her eyes awake. "...Truck!"

"I know!" He shouted, tucking the car around it with a whirring hum of the engine. Gunships were in hot pursuit, firing at the sky car, rounds burning and ripping through the metal flesh of the car. Smoke choked from the car and fire rippled. Alarms and flashing lights blared inside the car.

"Crap!" Feron hissed, trying to keep the sky car in the air. Liara looked for a solution, and then she saw it. To the left in the distance was the Vector Monorail station, long rails stretching out to different destinations across Illium. The trains were attached and carried under the rails, like an under slung train.

"Feron, head to Vector station! We can take a monorail the rest of the way!" she said as sparks spat at her.

"And endanger the public?" He shouted at her, fighting with the steering.

"We don't have a choice!" She snarled. Feron after a few contemplated seconds complied. He turned the car, tucking around the waist of the newly built trade center. Gunships ripped around it and followed like angry wasps, their engines buzzing.

The sky car was deteriorating, fast. Feron lost control and the car dropped from the sky, engine cutting out.

"Brace Liara!" He shouted, tensing and placing his hands against the ceiling. She did the same, gritted teeth and wincing eyes.

The car finally dropped and slammed into the landing zone, skimming the metal floor with sparks flying. The sound of metal scraping made skin shiver. It crashed against several parked cars before hitting a curb and rolling, crashing through the glass wall at the stations entrance terminal. People screamed and panicked as the car flipped and rolled, finally resting right side up by the luggage collection. Cracked windscreen and dented scarred metal aside, the car was still relatively intact.

Outside in the damaged car park platform, the gunships hovered, spinning one hundred and eighty degrees and opening the back as their ramps extended, allowing Blue Suns mercenaries and eclipse mercs to leap out, weapons raised.

At the same time, the dead car's windscreen was booted several times from inside and it broke away, shivering and flexing into a bending sheet. Liara staggered out, falling to the floor, regaining her stature. Feron followed, moaning. He staggered as well, shaking his head.

"I may vomit from that one" He gagged; hand over mouth before settling his stomach, only to churn when he saw Blue Suns and Eclipse mercenaries heading into the Terminal. Asari ran by with scared Volus, screams echoing throughout the luggage collection point.

"Feron, look out for civilians!" Liara shouted, raising her predator.

"I can't believe how quickly Church has united these factions!" Feron snarled, firing the Mantis at a guard, a bullet hole snapping across the chest armor.

"We've got to catch that ride to the space port! Or we can kiss a ride to the Citadel goodbye!" He shouted, from the cover of the burning sky car.

Liara fired at a mercenary, watching him cry out in pain and fall to the marble floor. They stepped over bodies and watched as some even retreated to the car park.

After the fire fight, she walked up to Feron. She looked up at the screens displaying Monorail rides. Like a virus spreading more and more were becoming listed as _Cancelled._

"Goddess, there's one last ride and it's leaving in five minutes! Platform...six! Down the hall to the right" She pointed, to see a massive hulking being in a ripped dirty cloak, hood masking the face. She glared at him, trying to see who...or what it was, finger on the trigger.

He reached forward with a rusty prosthetic arm, from under the cloak. A Carnifex in his human flesh right hand grip, he smirked from under his hood. Feron raised an eyebrow.

"Who the hell is that?"

"The deliverer of Retribution Broker, name's Cillian, I have orders to end your adventure early...Church himself" He snarled, firing at them, not even shrugging from recoil.

Liara clambered over the car, followed by Feron. They ducked down behind the burning car.

"Run! We can go around and sprint to the platform" Liara said, the sound of Cillian's stomping growing louder. She reached into the pouch of a dead mercenary. A flashbang filled her palm.

_Three, two one...go!_

Liara ran out with Feron as Cillian pressed his foot against the car and kicked it across the terminal with a metallic hiss of scraping.

"Run!" she cried as they sprinted by him, Liara threw the flashbang, exploding with a bright light and whine in Cillian's face. He clutched his face, hood falling revealing his bearded, long haired face.

"Go, go, go!" Feron shouted, running with his Mantis on his back and sprinting with Liara through the empty terminal. Luggage littered the floor where it was dropped.

Cillian rubbed his eyes and saw them turn the corner. He smirked, cracking his neck from side to side. He dropped his rugged ruined cloak and revealed his broad exterior in a black vest, showing the coupling of skin and metal for his left rusted arm.

"I love a challenge, Broker" he kicked a Vindicator up from the palm of dead merc into his hands. He suddenly began storming after them, feet stomping.

...

Liara and Feron had been running for over four minutes. Panting and looking back for Cillian, they reached the Platform. It was empty, only the monorail waiting and a few armed Illium guards for protection. Passengers sat inside, slightly panicked at the rumors spreading across the train.

"Get that thing out of here" The Turian officer ordered, Avenger rifle in his grasp. A human guard tapped his shoulder, noticing Liara and Feron.

"Are you late for the train? Are you safe?" the Turian asked them, obviously not aware of the wanted posters plastered over Illium, to Liara's surprise.

"Err, yes we are fine"

"You're armed and armored well" He nodded. "Who are you?" he asked, looking over them. Liara stuttered. Feron nudged her, looking at the alarm blaring for the Monorails departure. The doors were hissing ready to close.

The human guard shouted "Err sir? Look" he said, watching the news on the screen.

_Two terrorists by the names of Liara T'soni and Feron have been sighted leading a Blue Suns and Eclipse assault on the Vector Monorail station. Live coverage shows them shooting at innocent passengers with Blue Suns. _

Because of the news ships angle, Mercenaries were out of sight, making them look like they were shooting in the direction of innocent civilians.

"What! That's not true!" She cried out. "They've been bought by Church!"

The Turian looked at them. "I'm sorry but you are under arrest for manslaughter and the act of terrorism" Liara shoved him.

"No, I have not come this far to lose now!" She shouted, turning and sprinting at the monorail, followed by Feron. They literally made it in by inches as the doors shut.

"No! Stop that train! Damn it! Get guards at the spaceport waiting for them, An Asari in a white lab coat and a Drell!" The Turian ordered, as the human activated his Omni tool. The train was still pulling out of the station, attached to the hue rail above the train.

"Excuse me gentlemen?" Suddenly Cillian was stood before them, Vindicator on his back. He smiled to them, wringing his hand with his metal one. "Is this the last ride to the Spaceport?"

"Err yes...what the hell are you?" The Turian asked. Cillian chuckled, expression changing.

"I am the Reckoning of the Broker, and you are standing in my way, making you an issue"

"Yeah, right...step aside" the Turian ordered the huge human.

"Big mistake" He snarled, grabbing the Turians head with both hands, snapping it to the right with an abrupt stop as the vertebra shattered. The body fell lifeless and the human went to fire at Cillian, but by the time the rifle was raised, Cillian's rusty arm had formed his blade and torn straight through his torso. The body also fell lifeless.

In less than ten seconds he'd killed two people, in two swift moves...and the train was still pulling out. He dropped the bodies and sprinted at the rapidly moving train and lunged at it, slamming his blade into the hull of the last car, clambering up onto the windswept rooftop, taking cover behind one of the huge couplings that attached to the rail above. Cillian was now aboard.

...

Liara stood, holding the handle above, steadying herself. It was strange but she found herself feeling like she was back in the Kodiak heading to a mission with Shepard and Tali, or Garrus, fighting the Reapers, being heroes. Now she was called a villain by her own home. She could never return to her Apartment again. This was the point she'd have to truly sacrifice. Her search had officially begun; time to get to the Citadel...and Earth.

"Feron, You realize this is the beginning of the end; our final endgame" Liara smiled to him in a saddened tone.

"I'm with you Liara. All the way till we get him"

"Thank you Feron" she said holding his hands "You're my best...and last friend" he pulled his hands away.

"Not true. Look at the squad you want to assemble. They're friends. They helped kill the Reapers. What did I do? I cowered on Illium" He sighed.

"Hey, you helped me a great deal. Lots of information, that helped destroy those monsters"

"Thanks, but don't bother" He huffed. Liara sighed as they were interrupted by thumping on the rooftop. They looked up, grasping their side arms tight. Suddenly the footsteps stopped. Passenger began chatting amongst one another about it, "What was that?" "What going on?" voices murmured.

"Must have-" suddenly a metal fist slammed through the glass, grabbing Liara's arm and dragging her out, cutting and slicing her armor and skin on the shattered glass. People screamed and Feron lunged for her, missing her leg. He carefully tried to shimmy out of the window as the head winds battered him.

Meanwhile, Cillian threw her on the roof of the monorail. Illium skyscrapers raced by them and wind beat them perilously. She stood up, her lab coat tail fluttering in the wind. Cillian's tight black vest didn't move, only his baggy camouflage Cargo trousers that tucked into black military boots. He stood before her, fists clenched.

"T'soni! I was hoping I'd get this chance!" He shouted over the howling wind and electricity humming through the rails above them. She staggered to her feet, staring at him with a snarl.

"What chance?" She shouted back.

"To rip your pretty head from your shoulders" He snarled, activating his arm blade, extending it. She growled, flaring her teeth. Her Omni tool activated, the Omni blade swirling and twisting forward to a combat ready posture.

"Little thing you learned from Shepard?" He snarled as the wind battered his back.

"You could say that" She scoffed.

He lunged forward with a roar and she raised her blade in a defensive stature. He slammed it down on the Omni blade, almost shattering it.

Her bicep struggled and she held her wrist with her other arm as a support from the heavy strain. He growled and pushed down, carving towards her head.

"It's over T'soni" He flared.

Suddenly Feron lunged on the hulking humans back, punching at his head. Cillian staggered back, blade off of her, relieving the stress.

She fell on her back, panting and feeling lactic acid pumping through her arms.

"Get off me Drell!" He snarled, grabbing Feron's leg and throwing him at Liara, slamming her back as she stood up. He slid along the train, clutching the smooth roof. Liara looked up as Cillian regained his stature.

"Guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way!" He shouted, reaching to his back for his Vindicator, feeling his back to see it not there. "What the..."

He glared over and saw Feron holding it aiming at him and smirking. He fired; hitting Cillian's rusty arm, severing a piston and watching him wince, clutching the dead crippled hand.

"You'll pay for that Drell" He snarled, retracting the blade and aiming his Carnifex, firing at them. Liara rolled behind the cover of one of the conduits connecting to the rail above. He exhausted his Carnifex as he lost sight of Feron and Liara. His damaged dead arm hung by his side. The shell popped out and he threw the dead gun off the speeding train. Suddenly Liara and Feron re-emerged, weapons trained on him and inferno rounds selected.

He smirked flicking his right flesh arm and activating his Omni shield in a wall of orange shielding light. They fired as the rounds exploded against the shield, pushing him back and burning around the sides, hitting his metal and flesh arms. He roared as he took the brunt of this onslaught.

Suddenly a Blue Suns Gunship arrived, flying alongside the train. They doused the train with machine gun fire. Liara quickly acted as the barrage grew nearer. She dropped her pistol as it bounced along the train. She raised her palms and created a biotic shield over Feron and her. The rounds bombarded the shield, making her wince from the stress. Cillian lowered his shield and observed his burned should and molten metal arm.

He looked at it as the Gunship pilot performed some impressive aerobatics, turning around to extend the back ramp and flying at the same pace as the train.

"We'll meet again T'soni! Mark my words, I'll kill you both!" he roared, stepping onto the ramp and retreating. There was no way he could fight in the state he was in. The ramp closed with him aboard and it flew away.

Liara dropped the shield, watching Cillian retreat.

"Who is that guy?" Feron panted.

"I don't know. But that won't be the last we see of him" she huffed as wind battered them.


	8. Chapter 8: Welcome to the Citadel

After an hour of side stepping the awaiting guards and sneaking aboard the U.S.T (United Systems Travel) Atlantis, they were leaving Illium and heading to the Citadel. The huge ship lifted upwards and the blue humming thrusters bellowed cyan as it lifted away into the sky.

Liara sat and watched as her home slowly disappeared from view in the circular port window. The blackness of space now filled the ship. Refugees murmured and talked, looking at them. They had to hide out in the lower class area, now they had nothing.

Liara opened her Omni tool, checking her banking account only to find that it was empty, no money what so ever. She watered at her eyes slightly as she saw her life was basically over. If she couldn't find Shepard, there was nothing for her...at all. But she couldn't dwell on that now, they need to find Joker. They need the best pilot in the galaxy.

She closed the tool and reached inside her collar, grabbing a chain round her neck and lifting it out, resting in her palm. A set of Dog Tags, the only thing recovered from London.

_Normandy Sr2, Commander Shepard N7_

She gently smiled and sniffled, seeing a tear douse the metal. She didn't even realize she was crying. A quickly sigh and sniff followed by a wipe of her eyes and she was back in her mind set. Across from her was Feron, catching some shut eye. He snored gently, the Salarian next to him sighing and shoving him gently. Feron sharply inhaled, tilting his body away from the Salarian.

Liara smirked, shaking her head. She checked her back pocket and found the dossier cards. Luckily they were all still there, and any loose ends on Illium were dealt with. At least that was a plus, if you could call having to kill what was a loyal friend a plus.

She looked over the cards, seeing some names she didn't recognize. Her eyebrow raised and she scanned the cards.

"Possibly some crew members we didn't recruit...but why not? Did we run out of time?" She whispered to herself under the hum of the drive core. Only one name however did not have a KIA plastered over it in red.

_The Outlaw_

"Wait, the Outlaw? Location: Omega" Liara read the file. "Dangerous advisory, loyal to a good cause and good pay, wanted in over fourteen planetary systems. Whoa" She sighed.

Suddenly a voice sounded over the loud speaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you look out of the left side, you'll see the Crescent Nebula Relay, one of only ten working Relays in the galaxy" Everyone rushed over to the left window, seeing the massive relay in the distance. The blue light illuminating from its massive spinning rings. "The Alliance has told us that they are working overtime to repair the damaged ones. We will be in the Sol system in over four hours, please enjoy the flight" the Pilot said finally. Liara sat back, resting her head and closing her eyes. Might as well get some sleep while she can.

"Is this your fist relay jump?" She heard a voice say, opening an eye. An Asari comforted a nervous Salarian.

"Yeah, haven't left Illium before, I'm pretty nervous. Looking forward to the Citadel though" he said wringing his hand and gulping as the ship shuddered, like turbulence. The ship bounced as the Relay grew nearer.

"We're encountering a little relay turbulence, don't worry, just strap in tight, we'll be perfectly safe" the Asari smiled at the nervous Salarian. It was funny how nervous they were, when Liara and Feron could sleep through a relay jump.

Blue electricity flickered around the hull and suddenly their stomachs shot to their side as the ship leaped.

...

Around three hours later, the Sol Relay popped a ship through, blue light rippling around the Atlantis. It roared by the massive working Relay and heading by Pluto.

Inside Liara snored gently and moaned as she wriggled in her seat. The hull was quiet bar the humming core and metal creaking. People were lying in their seats asleep as the ship neared earth, passing the gigantic Jupiter and its moons.

Liara awoke gently from a shudder of the ship and she fluttered her eyes open before slamming them shut tight and yawning, stretching her arms outwards. She looked down at the dossiers in her lap. She tucked Shepard's dog tags back in her collar and filed the dossiers, putting them in her back pocket.

Liara looked up as they neared Earth space.

"Ladies and gentlemen we will be docking with the Citadel soon, take a look out of the window to your right to see the nearly complete station.

Liara saw the huge station. It had two completed arms, and several different length ones that were still under construction. Long rods of beams stretched out and gridded frames for the super structure freckled the Citadel. She was finally here.

The massive structure had the Presidium completed first, to no surprise. A new council was still in the process of being decided.

The ship neared, Earth's curved blue horizon looming behind the massive station. Liara felt insignificant as they neared the Citadel, dwarfed by Earth's ocean covered surface.

Dreadnoughts protected and guarded the stationed, freckling the space around it. The arms were stretched out slightly as the Atlantis was cleared to dock.

They passed the massive Dreadnoughts, human and Turian in design. A huge Asari ship floated nearby covered in war scars. It was the Destiny's Ascension. Liara chuckled gently. She couldn't believe she was back. Feron stood beside her, his first time seeing Earth.

"Whoa...home world of the humans. site of the final battle with the Reapers" Feron gasped. The tiny Atlantis loomed under a massive Turian Dreadnought.

"Ladies and Gentlemen we are beginning our descent" The pilot stated as the ship lowered towards the massive ring at the end of the Citadel. The arms were now overhead as they were inside the gigantic Citadel. Liara looked below at the other unfinished arms. Thousands of cranes littered the uneven still being extended arms.

The Crucible, now depleted of all energy was still attached to the Citadel tower, now turned into a war museum featuring cataloged artifacts and memorials. Two Alliance fights flew alongside the Atlantis.

"We'll guide you in" A voice sounded over the communicator from one of the pilots. Liara watched out the window as the lights from the Citadel flickered against the Atlantis hull. They flew past the Crucible museum and the Citadel tower.

The Atlantis continued to drop altitude as it neared the docking bay. The fighters tilted and blasted upwards as the ship grew to a halt. A Turian was seen outside in an airtight suit, guiding the massive Atlantis in with two red glowing rods waving. The docking tube lowered and latched to the ship with a shudder, along with the magnetic clamps.

Liara stood up as soon as the warning light disabled. They had no luggage to worry about, just the clothes on their backs. She was very nervous that they would get arrested, if they saw the wanted posters like Illium, but to her surprise and relief there wasn't any. She let a few people by before barging in and following Feron out.

They exited the ship and after getting through customs, they found themselves at the Docking Bay. Feron and Liara walked around the array of different species. She looked around at the sight, a massive Elcor barging by, fists slamming against the ground with every stride.

"Sincere Asari, I apologize for barging" He said in a deep monotone voice, walking by her and the other species. She nodded as he walked off. Feron tapped her shoulder.

"Here, the map. We need to get to the Presidium. Apparently Joker's there, book signing" he said to her.

"Book signing?" she chuckled.

"Apparently he's the author of a book called "My adventures with Commander Shepard" Feron informed, reading the advert.

"I'll believe it when I see it, come on" she said, heading to the elevator.


	9. Chapter 9: Recruit the Pilot

The Elevator blew open and Feron and Liara stepped out. She looked around at the repaired apartments and the refilled lake with working fountains. New trees were replanted to cover the balding, burned grass. The white bridges were being reapplied to the skyline and sky cars were racing around. Slowly the Citadel was being resurrected.

Liara and Feron walked around before she stopped, seeing the sight across the way of the place she used to spend her time relaxing at. A quote she said to Shepard raced along her shivering spine.

"I love this part of the Presidium. It reminds me of home"

"Liara? You okay?" Feron asked. She nodded, snapping back and making her way to a suspicious queue of people holding books and Omni tools.

"Well, that wasn't hard to find" She smirked as they shoved through the crowd gently.

"Excuse me, move...excuse" She repeated as they neared the desk. They cleared the sea of people and saw him. There he was: Jeff Joker Moreau. Still wearing his fuzzy facial hair and his SR2 blue cap he signed the book on the table. She shook her head, arms crossed and weight on her hip. The book had a photograph of Joker and Shepard, with the Normandy behind him. She then saw the whole crew stood behind them, everyone. It was edited in from their Citadel party photo. A smile etched along her face.

Joker looked up, pushing the signed book back. "Here you go! Thanks for rea...Liara!" He smiled standing up with a limp, still suffering. She chuckled, going around the table and accepting his hug, gently squeezing.

"Hey Joker, long time no see" She said into his shoulder. He pats her back and gently pushed her up.

"Alright folks, sorry buy I've got to end the book signing early" he said, listening to the sea of moans and grumbles. "No, I have things to attend to, people to see. Thanks for coming" he said, shooing his fans.

"That can't be good for your image" Liara smirked. He swatted his hand.

"I don't care. They've been on at me all morning. Oh Jeff can you sign this, and this? Can you sign my ass, said a Krogan...a Krogan!" he said in his mimicking deep voice. Liara chuckled at him. "I'm not signing a Krogan ass! Anyway, what's up Liara, why'd you drop by?" He asked.

She pulled up another chair to his book signing desk.

"That can wait, so how have you been?" She asked him. He shrugged, puffing air out his lips.

"This. Its awful Liara, seriously. Honestly, I didn't even write it. Someone did for me while I told it. They didn't trust I could do it, bastards"

"Well maybe when this is over you can add more to it. write it properly, yourself"

"what's over? Enough chat, what brings you by Liara?" Joker asked, raised eyebrow. Liara's face dropped.

"Jeff, I need a huge favor...a massive favor actually" He sat and listened at his desk, genuinely listening.

"What for?" Joker asked. Liara sighed, pressing her palms on the desk.

"I need a Pilot...I've...I've confirmed Shepard alive, and I need to find him" she smiled at him in shock. He leaned forward, lifting his cap slightly.

"Seriously, he's alive? Liara..."

"I know it's so much to ask of you, I mean you've moved on but-"

"I'll do it" He said with a smirk. She double took.

"I'm sorry what?"

"I'll do it" He said again smiling and nodding. She smiled eyes wide.

"Goddess Joker! Thank you so much!" she said, kissing his cheek and hugging him. He pushed her away playfully.

"Yeah, I mean I am so bored of all this, the book signing. I'm a pilot, always will be. When they took away the Normandy...It was the only thing I had that made me feel close to EDI, you know? But I'll help you get Shepard back. We owe him that much" Joker said, surprising her with his maturity.

"Thank you so much Joker"

"So what ship am I flying? It best be good. It won't be a Normandy, but nothing ever will be" He sighed. She smirked.

"Well, actually...That's the ship you'll be flying. We're going to steal the Normandy" She smirked. Jeff looked at her like she was insane.

"What!? You want to steal the Normandy? The most important ship every made from the Alliance? We'll be charged with the highest form of treason!" He shouted. She shrugged.

"I'm already wanted for forty Million credit's dead. I can't stay on Illium Joker. I don't care at this point" She sighed. Feron just stood and watched the conversation.

"Really? What the hell did you do?"

"Pissed off the wrong man. I'm no longer the Broker. Joker all I have is friendship. Love to light the way. I need to find my Shepard"

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "The Normandy is being retrofitted on Earth at the moment, an Alliance airbase called R.A.F Northolt, near London. I visited the place a week ago, saw her for the last time" He sighed.

"So we're gonna do it? We're gonna steal the SR2?" Feron asked. Liara nodded.

"Guess so. We can take a shuttle down and sneak in the base, get aboard, knock the guards out and Joker can get us out"

Joker stood up, smiling. "Okay, I'm in" he said shaking her hand.

"You sure? This is going to get ugly if I know Church" Joker nodded.

"Yeah, I could do with a suicide mission to fly. Hopefully if we find him and bring Shepard back, we'll only get three life sentences" he joked nervously. "I could do with an adventure. Let's go"

Liara nodded turning and heading to the elevator, now with a new recruit, the pilot.

"Oh Liara, while we're on the Citadel there's someone you might like to see" He smirked. Liara looked back, confused.

"Who?"

"You'll see. Follow me"


	10. Chapter 10: Meeting an old friend

"Ambassador, I understand your frustration, but I can't just allow the entire Migrant fleet to enter Citadel space. It has nothing to do with being Anti-Quarian; you have to understand that that many ships of their size would be chaos! The docks would be closed because of the Flotilla blocking them, do you understand?" The Minister of defense for the Citadel said, combing his hands through his thick grey hair in frustration to the conversation.

The huge interior of the Citadel tower surrounded their conversation. The seats where the Council once sat were empty, while a new one was still being decided upon. Until that moment, all races have to work together to keep peace and democracy.

"I understand, but we are trying to sell some of the ships we don't need and where better to sell them than a place where all species live together, the Citadel?" The Quarian female Ambassador told him in a young high toned voice.

"End of discussion" He swiped his hand out in finalization. He saw her solemn reaction and sighed, caressing the bridge of his nose. "I will see if I can allow a _few ships_ into Citadel space, but Ambassador, that's the best I can do"

"Thank you, we will only bring the ships we are definitely selling, With Rannoch back we have no need for them. Time to start disassembling the fleet" the female Quarian said as she wrung her hands together.

At the same time of the conversation in the Citadel tower, tall autumn stained trees enveloping around them, and the shadow the Crucible above, Liara, Feron and Joker arrived. The marble floor had some cracks from the Reaper war, but nothing that wasn't being patched. In the center of the tower was a statue of Admiral David Anderson, and of course Commander Shepard, commemorating their sacrifice and bravery. Liara looked around the almost Identical Citadel tower to four years prior.

"Joker, who? Who am I looking for?" Liara grew impatient.

Joker chuckled. "You'll see" He said, pointing forward. Liara looked and her eyes widened in delight.

The Minister shook the Quarian's gloved hand. "Of course Ambassador, I'll go over the legal problems with the rest of the Ministers. But like I said, it's not a yes, just a maybe" He said.

"Thank you Minister Geoffrey. Whatever you can do will be appreciated. Keelah Se'lai"

"It was nice to have met you Ambassador...I'm sorry, I missed the name?"

"It's Tali. Tali'Zorah Vas Rannoch" the Quarian female smiled from within her purple hazed mask and hooded head. She was wearing the same environmental suit she had worn during the war, with a few differences, golden straps across her waist and belt, with accents of gold on the metal of the mask.

The Minister nodded, walking away. Tali turned and faced the trio. "Liara? Keelah it is you!" She cried out, jogging over to greet her Asari friend. Liara and Tali hugged, laughing at how crazy it was to bump into each other like this. Thanks to Joker.

"Take pictures" Joker whispered to an, arms crossed, serious faced Feron. Liara heard him, pulling away from the hug and raising an eyebrow at him. "Seriously Joker?"

"Yes" He simply stated, tilting his cap to Tali. She shook her head and turned back to Tali.

"Tali wow, you look amazing! How have you been?" Liara asked her friend. Tali nodded to her.

"Thank you. It's been...interesting. The Geth did what they could for us before the Crucible blast killed them; A horrible loss. Huh, never thought I would say that about the Geth"

Joker stood quietly, thinking about how EDI just dropped lifelessly beside him. He couldn't save her...no matter how he tried.

"So Tali, what this I hear about you being an Ambassador? We overheard" she smiled. Tali shrugged.

"No need for Admirals anymore. We needed people to oversee the selection of the new Council. We're hoping the Quarians could get a spot on there now. We proved ourselves in the war"

"That you did"

"Shepard would be proud. Anyway enough about me, what have you been up to Liara?"

Liara sighed, walking over to a bench, basking in the shadow of an autumn tree. She sat down, beckoning Tali to sit next to her. She did.

"I've been searching. Six long months of searching...for Shepard" she explained. Tali gasped.

"Keelah Liara, you're not still doing this to yourself are you? There is no way...no way he could have survived the blast. They checked the rubble, he was gone" Tali emotionally stammered, choking on her words.

"Well that's just it Tali. I've got proof he's alive" Liara said with a nervous chuckle and raised shoulders. She saw Tali's eyes widen inside her purple visor.

"What? Keelah that is cruel Liara, even for the Broker. You loved him! Why make up-"

"Tali I'm not! I had a conversation with him...he's...he's being held captive by a monster. A monster I can't find. I know he's alive Tali, bit I need to find him" Feron stepped forward.

"It's true, she recorded it secretly on her Omni tool while it played, here listen" Joker nodded behind, having recently heard it himself on the way to the tower. Many questions were asked on that walk.

Liara opened her tool and hit play. Tali listened, her eyes widening when she heard an injured Shepard moan Liara's name. She gasped in shock.

"Liara, that...that's him. Well can't you use the Shadow Broker network to track this man?" she innocently asked. Liara scoffed.

"These scuff marks on my armor are new Tali" She gently chucked "I have spent the last day or two having to hide. I can't show my face on Illium or we'll be killed for a forty Million credit prize. Tali, Church destroyed my Office. I'm done...the Broker network is dead. He made me confess my identity over the channel" Liara explained. Tali sat in awe, trying to take in this information. "Tali, he destroyed everything I was, my legacy everything...I don't know how to save Shepard"

"Keelah. Liara, what are you going to do?"

"Whatever I can; I have lost everything, to save the only thing I need...I care for. Shepard" Liara sighed emotionally, having realized how much she had sacrificed already. How much more could she lose? She looked down at her palms. Suddenly Tali's hand grazed her thigh.

"Tali...what I'm about to ask of you...it's huge and so selfish. But...would you, be willing to help me find him? I'm trying to get the crew back together" Tali looked up at Joker.

"We're going to steal the Normandy" Joker said with a roll of the eyes. Feron tutted, nudging him.

"Ow! Watch the arm"

Tali looked to her, staring at her for well over a minute.

"Liara, I appreciate it...but I have a home now"

Liara sighed. "Okay. It was worth a try. Nice to see you again Tali" She went to get up, having failed. Suddenly the Quarian grasped Liara, holding her back.

"I have a home, that can fend for itself. They'll be fine without me for a while" Tali shrugged. Liara's eyes widened.

"Really?" Liara gave a sincere smile.

"It's peace time, well at least for Rannoch it is. There are plenty of other Ambassadors...and I could use a break from it all"

"Tali...this isn't going to be easy. We're going to steal the most important ship ever made...commit treason, all for the man I love. Are you sure?" Tali stood up, fists clenched.

"Yeah. I'm doing it for him Liara, not that I'm not doing it for you too, but...He gave me my home. It's time to return the favor" she snarled, hands behind her back and neck straight. Liara chuckled, hugging Tali tight.

"Thank you, for this Tali"

"Family stick together. Keelah se'lai" she hugged back.

Joker sniffled "that's beautiful...now kiss" He soon received another bump from Feron. "ow!"

Tali and Liara exited the hug. "Welcome to the crew Tali" Liara smiled.

"I'll send the Flotilla...er I mean Rannoch my findings and the information from the Minister. Then I'm turning in my leave of absence. They have a problem with it, they can go to hell" Tali snarled, flicking her Omni tool. Liara looked at her slowly growing team, how easily they all joined up, all to save Shepard; to help her. They were true friends.

"I guess Shepard has earned a few favors from us huh?" She chuckled.

But she couldn't help thinking what Church meant.

_Make sure you're friendships are solid, because they will be tested._

This is going to get worse before it gets better. Tali lowered her arm as the Omni tool disappeared.

"So, how are we going to steal the Normandy? It's got to be the most guard thing in the galaxy!" Tali asked, straight to business. Liara crossed her arms, looking at Joker.

"Ladies, I do believe I have a plan" he smirked, tilting his cap down.

...

They decided the Citadel tower wasn't the best place to discuss stealing a ship. After a long debate, they settled on getting some food and drink, while Joker explained his plan. The location? None other than Apollo's cafe. After heading back down several elevators and long hallways, they reached the Presidium.

It had definitely changed over the years. Now no one bat an eyelid at Tali. Years ago, a Quarian on the Presidium was considered disgusting. Another thing Shepard had done for them.

Apollo's sat looking over the construction work on the presidium, Cranes layered the bridges and hauled pieces of metal upwards to rebuild the damage.

Tali and Liara sat with Feron as Joker limped gently over from the bar, a tray of food and drink in his hands. He placed it down on the table mumbling.

"Yeah make the guy with brittle bones disease get the tray of food, nice one" He groaned, sitting down beside Liara.

"You made a joke about Tali, you pay for it by getting the drinks and food" Liara pointed out.

"Oh come on! I asked her if she want tequila se'lai! That's' genius, old fashioned comedy. Ah Garrus would have appreciated it" he sighed, biting into his ham sandwich. Liara looked to Tali.

"Which reminds me to ask, how are you and him doing...you know relationship wise" Liara shrugged to Tali. She on the other hand sighed and removed the straw from the induction port.

"We...broke up"

"Goddess, I'm sorry Tali" Liara sighed to her friend.

"It was too much of a strain, him being on Palaven, me on Rannoch. It was nice while it lasted but...well that's just it. It was never _going_ to last. We're better as friends"

"Are you...friends? No awkwardness?"

"Garrus, awkward, Never! To be honest I haven't seen him in over...three months! Keelah, that long?"

"Yeah sounds right. I haven't seen him in nearly six. I hate when friends drift apart"

"Well, by the looks of the crew we're assembling, you'll see most of them very soon" Tali chuckled, inserting the straw.

"I hope so. I mean it was unbelievable how quickly you and Joker joined me. Thank you so much" Liara said to then, sipping her water. Joker swallowed his bite and looked at her.

"Liara, we were never going to cope in peace time. And for everything the Commander did for us? We owe him this, at least. Time to save his ass"

"Agreed" Tali nodded. Feron sat quietly watching the friends catch up.

"Oh where are my manors, Tali this is Feron. Feron, Tali" Feron nodded at her with a smile, reaching out and shaking her hand.

"I remember you! You were in the Shadow Broker's base, right?" Tali was brought along by Shepard for that mission.

"Yeah that's me. Nice to meet you miss Tali'Zorah" their hands slipped apart and looked at Liara.

"So what happened on Illium? Forty Million credits?" Tali asked. Joker nodded, a mouthful of food preventing his speech.

"We spent six odd months on Omega, searching for any leads. We finally get one and it leads us to a Turian criminal and his thugs. After beating him, we took the drive we were after. That turned out to be a big mistake. Church used it to contact us at my office. Within minutes of me having to give out my Identity to my network, Blue Suns and Eclipse arrived and destroyed my office"

"whoa, that sounds bad...who is this guy?" Joker asked.

"Oh that's not the worst of it. We head to my informant to get your dossiers. I made sure to only have hard copies. They can be destroyed, deleted ones can be restructured, and I couldn't risk your lives or homes"

"Thank you" Tali whispered.

"It turned out my informant was working for Church, giving the location of my office and threatening to kill me for our wanted reward. There were posters all over Illium of us, wanted dead or alive"

Tali gasped at the events.

"Why? Why would this...Church Bosh'tet do this to someone?"

"We managed to get aboard a Monorail to the space port but got attacked by a mercenary or something. Goes by the name Cillian"

Suddenly Joker spat his drink out in a spray of water. He coughed and spluttered

"Cillian? Oh shit, that's not good"

"You know him? How?"

"No, I've heard of him though. Worked for the Blue suns then went freelance. He stuck it out on the scummiest places on Earth, killing drug lords for credits. He is one nasty bastard, now Church has him after us" He nervously chuckled.

Tali finished her drink and looked at them. "So, your plan Joker, what is it?" She asked. He leaned forward, looking over his shoulders before opening his Omni tool. A hologram of the base emerged and rotated.

"Okay, this is Northolt Alliance base. They refuel and repair Dreadnoughts, but recently they've had the job of retrofitting the Normandy. It's not going to be a war ship for much longer, more a diplomatic vessel, and no one is doing that to my ship!" Joker snarled. Liara pat his back.

"There's our Joker. So what are we looking at? What sort of defenses?" she said looking at the hologram of a huge complex of several hangers and a massive tarmac strip for take offs and landings.

"Right, here is the main control tower, it overlooks the whole base. Then to the left is the Alliance barracks. We can expect several squads in there so we'll have to be quick" Joker started to sound serious as the plan was forming.

"Then there's the problem of getting in, in the first place. These fences that surround the base, their electrically charge and covered with barbed wire, no way we're getting over them" Joker said, rubbing his chin with his free hand.

"Well then we go through it" Tali said like it was just that easy. "I can use an overload to short circuit the electric defenses for a while, then Liara can use her Omni blade to cut a hole through the fence" Liara, Feron and Joker sat gobsmacked at Tali's brilliance.

"I ever tell you I love you Tali?" Joker chuckled.

"No, but it's nice to hear"

"Okay. So that's how we get in, then the problem of getting to the Normandy. When I was there last week I saw that they keep the Normandy out on the Tarmac for the retrofitting. She can hover beautifully and they needed to off load some cargo"

"Do you think that it would be outside while we're there?"

"Definitely, I checked the Alliance channels while you were talking to Tali, apparently the Normandy will be having its Thanix cannons stripped. That is not happening. The quicker we get there, the better"

"You hacked their channels?" Liara asked Joker "That's not the Joker I know"

"People change Liara. You would know" he winked.

"Fair enough"

They sat there thinking and going over the perfect strategy. Thanks to Tali, they had a way onto the site, but they had to sneak to the Normandy.

"One problem is, well we're not exactly inconspicuous, are we?" Joker said. "We've got a purple Quarian, an Asari, a Drell and a limping human. Kinda calls out for questioning"

"So what do you think we should do?" Liara asked, leaning back in her seat from the table.

"Well I can get in, they don't mind me showing up to look around what was once my ship, but you guys? They've been pretty edgy recently about other species getting involved. It's not right I know, but peace time is when things are most dangerous. Everyone's afraid of the next trigger. Plus with the Reaper war debt topping trillions, things are going to be different" Joker explained.

"If I can get into the base, and you guys cut your way in, I can distract the guards. It'll involve a lot of stealth on your part and stun rounds in your pistols for the guards. No killing"

"Agreed" Liara said thinking this plan over. "We only get one shot at this. Joker, you distract the guards and we'll scoot around the crates to the side here" She said, pointing to the map on his Omni tool.

"Once we're past the guards, Tali, Feron and I will sneak aboard via the shuttle bay door. If it's closed Joker, you'll need to open it"

"I can do that. They let me aboard to help oversee things"

"We have our plan. It's not a perfect plan...but it's a plan" Liara said.

"So when do we leave the Citadel?" Feron asked them. Joker shook his head.

"I can't yet...I need to see Chakwas...I need to get my medication off of her" He struggled to say, feeling embarrassed. "Stupid bones"

"That's okay. We'll come with. It'd be nice to see Chakwas. Come on, let's go. The quicker the better"


End file.
